Arrest made in Atwater homicide

A 40-year-old man suspected of stabbing another man to death in Atwater has been taken into custody.

Juan Jose Avina Meza surrendered to Atwater police late Thursday in connection with the death earlier the same day of a man in his 30s at an Atwater home, Lt. Samuel Joseph said.

The name of the victim was not released Thursday pending notification of the man’s family by the Merced County Coroner’s Office, Sgt. Delray Shelton said.

Officers responded about 4 a.m. to a home in the 1500 block of High Street after receiving reports of an assault. Police found a man inside a home suffering from a stab wound to his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene, investigators said.

A second victim was found outside the home suffering from a stab wound to his leg. He was taken to a regional hospital for treatment. He has since been released from the hospital.

Joseph declined to comment on a possible motive for the attacks.

Police said alcohol was a factor in the incident, which was described as an altercation at a house party. Investigators said they had not ruled out the possibility of a street-gang connection in the case.

A knife with blood on the blade was recovered at the scene, but detectives are awaiting the results of an upcoming autopsy to determine whether it was the murder weapon. The autopsy is expected to take place next week, police said.

A booking photograph of Meza was not immediately available late Thursday.

The death marks the second homicide of the year in Atwater and brings to 17 the total number of violent deaths this year in Merced County.

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 11:03 PM with the headline "Arrest made in Atwater homicide."