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Boy's mother had broken up with suspect in slaying
By John Scheibe (Contact)
Thursday, August 16, 2007


Sharp

Ruiz

Sev'n Molina, who was killed Sunday, is pictured here in a preschool photo.
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The man accused of attacking a Newbury Park woman with a meat cleaver Sunday night and killing her son had been romantically involved with her until she broke off the relationship some six months ago, investigators said Wednesday.

Calvin Sharp, 27, who was voted the friendliest member of the Newbury Park High School Class of 1997, showed up unannounced at Sandra Ruiz's apartment sometime around 9 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Sharp and Ruiz argued at the door, said Capt. Jerry Hernandez, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

Ruiz tried to keep Sharp outside, but he managed to get inside, where the two continued to argue, Hernandez said.

At some point, Sharp got angry at Ruiz's son, Sev'n Molina.

Sharp allegedly grabbed a meat cleaver in the apartment and chased the boy outside, Hernandez said.

Ruiz ran after the two in an effort to defend her son. But Sharp allegedly caught up to the 6-year-old boy first and began attacking him with the meat cleaver in a courtyard inside the complex.

Ruiz tried to defend her son, but to no avail, Hernandez said. Sev'n was killed in the attack, and Ruiz was severely wounded.

The attack ended after a 53-year-old woman at the complex, Diane Cox, intervened and wrested the meat cleaver from Sharp.

Cox's face was sliced during the scuffle. A man then tackled Sharp and sat on him until deputies arrived.

Ruiz was taken to Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in critical condition where she underwent surgery. Her condition was later upgraded to serious but stable. She was treated for deep gashes to her scalp, face, arms and legs, as well as a broken right wrist and severed thumb tip.

Ruiz and Sharp met about two years ago, Hernandez said. He could not say where the two met, although Sev'n and Sharp's two sons were students at Borchard Preschool in Newbury Park about the same time some two years ago.

"At some point, they became involved in a romantic relationship," Hernandez said.

Ruiz and Sharp continued to stay in touch after their breakup, Hernandez said, noting their relationship "was friendly."

Ruiz a devout Buddhist

Ruiz's friends describe her as very dedicated mother who moved to California with her son years ago in search of a better life. A devout Buddhist, Ruiz works for biotechnology giant Amgen, in marketing and finance. The company is just across the street from Ruiz's apartment.

Ruiz's neighbor Samia Guliev, who works with her at Amgen, was still shocked on Wednesday about the tragic attack.

"She (Ruiz) threw me a baby shower," Guliev said as she looked at her infant baby asleep in a carrier.

"It was a shock to me because she is a very peaceful person. She's into Buddhism and meditation."

Sharp voted most friendly

Sharp was a 1997 graduate of Newbury High School. His yearbook shows he was voted the best profile by his classmates because of his good looks. Sharp also was voted the friendliest member of the class.

Sharp recently worked as a taxi driver.

Those who know him say he was very dedicated to his sons.

Some of Ruiz's neighbors said Sharp often visited Ruiz at her apartment, bringing his children with him.

Sharp's classmates, who are planning a 10-year reunion at the Woodland Hills Country Club on Saturday, expressed disbelief after hearing of the crime that their former classmate is accused of.

"I am just in shock right now about what I just heard," one classmate wrote on a Myspace page. "Shock and sickened."

"I don't understand what happened but I think we all need to keep everyone involved in our thoughts," the classmate wrote to others on Myspace.

Many of Sharp's former neighbors in the 3000 block of Blackwood Street in Newbury Park were shocked to learn that he is accused of the brutal attack.

Sharp lived in a tan one-story home there but moved out about two months ago, neighbors said.

One former neighbor, Carol Georgeff, said Sharp lived in the home with a woman and his two young sons.

Georgeff said Sharp was always cordial to her. He even helped her with her car when the gears stuck.

About a year ago, however, Georgeff said, police came to the normally quiet block to change the door locks on Sharp's home after he apparently was kicked out.

Georgeff said she would later see Sharp sporadically. It's unclear whether he moved back in.

Troy Dederick, another former neighbor, remembers calling the police after seeing Sharp's home ransacked.

Dederick said the door was open and "when we looked inside, the big-screen TV was smashed in."

Family grateful for support

Ruiz's family issued a letter on Wednesday thanking everyone who has shown support for her.

"To all her friends, co-workers, neighbors, the hospital staff, police, emergency personnel, and in particular, Amgen, the company she works for, thank you for all your help, we deeply appreciate all your kind words and your efforts," the letter states.

"To the community that has been touched by the unspeakable murder of our beautiful Sev'n and has sent money and prayers, thank you for showing us there is good in the world."

Kris Carraway-Bowman, a spokeswoman for Los Robles Hospital, said Ruiz's relatives are encouraging her to move back to Florida.

Carraway-Bowman said the family has yet to decide about funeral arrangements for Sev'n. She said Pierce Brothers Mortuary has offered to donate its services to cremate the boy's body.

Sharp, meanwhile, is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 31 on one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He is being held at Ventura County Jail on $1.5 million bail.

Staff writer Marjorie Hernandez contributed to this report.

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Home › News › County News
Boy's mother had broken up with suspect in slaying
By John Scheibe (Contact)
Thursday, August 16, 2007


Sharp

Ruiz

Sev'n Molina, who was killed Sunday, is pictured here in a preschool photo.
STORY TOOLS
E-mail story
Comments
iPod friendly
Printer friendly
Order Photos

More from County News
Amgen to cut staff
Sexual predator back, can't find a place to live
Officials optimistic about Zaca fire
The man accused of attacking a Newbury Park woman with a meat cleaver Sunday night and killing her son had been romantically involved with her until she broke off the relationship some six months ago, investigators said Wednesday.

Calvin Sharp, 27, who was voted the friendliest member of the Newbury Park High School Class of 1997, showed up unannounced at Sandra Ruiz's apartment sometime around 9 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Sharp and Ruiz argued at the door, said Capt. Jerry Hernandez, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

Ruiz tried to keep Sharp outside, but he managed to get inside, where the two continued to argue, Hernandez said.

At some point, Sharp got angry at Ruiz's son, Sev'n Molina.

Sharp allegedly grabbed a meat cleaver in the apartment and chased the boy outside, Hernandez said.

Ruiz ran after the two in an effort to defend her son. But Sharp allegedly caught up to the 6-year-old boy first and began attacking him with the meat cleaver in a courtyard inside the complex.

Ruiz tried to defend her son, but to no avail, Hernandez said. Sev'n was killed in the attack, and Ruiz was severely wounded.

The attack ended after a 53-year-old woman at the complex, Diane Cox, intervened and wrested the meat cleaver from Sharp.

Cox's face was sliced during the scuffle. A man then tackled Sharp and sat on him until deputies arrived.

Ruiz was taken to Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in critical condition where she underwent surgery. Her condition was later upgraded to serious but stable. She was treated for deep gashes to her scalp, face, arms and legs, as well as a broken right wrist and severed thumb tip.

Ruiz and Sharp met about two years ago, Hernandez said. He could not say where the two met, although Sev'n and Sharp's two sons were students at Borchard Preschool in Newbury Park about the same time some two years ago.

"At some point, they became involved in a romantic relationship," Hernandez said.

Ruiz and Sharp continued to stay in touch after their breakup, Hernandez said, noting their relationship "was friendly."

Ruiz a devout Buddhist

Ruiz's friends describe her as very dedicated mother who moved to California with her son years ago in search of a better life. A devout Buddhist, Ruiz works for biotechnology giant Amgen, in marketing and finance. The company is just across the street from Ruiz's apartment.

Ruiz's neighbor Samia Guliev, who works with her at Amgen, was still shocked on Wednesday about the tragic attack.

"She (Ruiz) threw me a baby shower," Guliev said as she looked at her infant baby asleep in a carrier.

"It was a shock to me because she is a very peaceful person. She's into Buddhism and meditation."

Sharp voted most friendly

Sharp was a 1997 graduate of Newbury High School. His yearbook shows he was voted the best profile by his classmates because of his good looks. Sharp also was voted the friendliest member of the class.

Sharp recently worked as a taxi driver.

Those who know him say he was very dedicated to his sons.

Some of Ruiz's neighbors said Sharp often visited Ruiz at her apartment, bringing his children with him.

Sharp's classmates, who are planning a 10-year reunion at the Woodland Hills Country Club on Saturday, expressed disbelief after hearing of the crime that their former classmate is accused of.

"I am just in shock right now about what I just heard," one classmate wrote on a Myspace page. "Shock and sickened."

"I don't understand what happened but I think we all need to keep everyone involved in our thoughts," the classmate wrote to others on Myspace.

Many of Sharp's former neighbors in the 3000 block of Blackwood Street in Newbury Park were shocked to learn that he is accused of the brutal attack.

Sharp lived in a tan one-story home there but moved out about two months ago, neighbors said.

One former neighbor, Carol Georgeff, said Sharp lived in the home with a woman and his two young sons.

Georgeff said Sharp was always cordial to her. He even helped her with her car when the gears stuck.

About a year ago, however, Georgeff said, police came to the normally quiet block to change the door locks on Sharp's home after he apparently was kicked out.

Georgeff said she would later see Sharp sporadically. It's unclear whether he moved back in.

Troy Dederick, another former neighbor, remembers calling the police after seeing Sharp's home ransacked.

Dederick said the door was open and "when we looked inside, the big-screen TV was smashed in."

Family grateful for support

Ruiz's family issued a letter on Wednesday thanking everyone who has shown support for her.

"To all her friends, co-workers, neighbors, the hospital staff, police, emergency personnel, and in particular, Amgen, the company she works for, thank you for all your help, we deeply appreciate all your kind words and your efforts," the letter states.

"To the community that has been touched by the unspeakable murder of our beautiful Sev'n and has sent money and prayers, thank you for showing us there is good in the world."

Kris Carraway-Bowman, a spokeswoman for Los Robles Hospital, said Ruiz's relatives are encouraging her to move back to Florida.

Carraway-Bowman said the family has yet to decide about funeral arrangements for Sev'n. She said Pierce Brothers Mortuary has offered to donate its services to cremate the boy's body.

Sharp, meanwhile, is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 31 on one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He is being held at Ventura County Jail on $1.5 million bail.

Staff writer Marjorie Hernandez contributed to this report.