SAN DIEGO —
It was 18 years ago that a Chula Vista man was stabbed after a quinceañera party in the Palm City neighorhood.
Salvador Mercado — a 25-year-old husband and father — was fatally injured around midnight on Nov. 16, 2003, after a fight broke out near Harris and Elm avenues after the party ended.
He was rushed to a hospital, where he died.
Police this week sought to refocus attention on the cold case, putting out a five-minute video on YouTube and renewing an appeal to the public to come forward with tips.
Anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest in the case may be able to claim a $10,000 reward offered — $1,000 from Crime Stoppers and $9,000 from Mercado’s family.
Mercado worked as a legal assistant for Xerox Corp. and also worked part time for nine years as a youth sports coach and mentor for the city of San Diego’s Park and Recreation Department. He and his wife had a 3-year-old daughter.
His mother, Maria Najera, told the Union-Tribune in 2011 that she thought her son was the innocent victim of someone retaliating following a fight after the party.
Detective Lori Adams said the party host shut down the gathering after a large number of crashers showed up. A large group spilled out into the street, where witnesses told police that Mercado was in a confrontation with a teenage boy.
“Glass bottles started breaking, a fight ensued, gunshots were heard and people scattered,” Adams said in the department’s video.
About 30 minutes after Mercado was taken to a hospital, another stabbing victim — a 17-year-old boy — showed up at a different hospital. He told the staff that he had been stabbed on Harris Avenue.
Police never got the teen’s name, and he has not yet been interviewed by police, Adams said.
“We would like to speak to him to find out what happened to him and to fully understand what happened that night,” she said.
Although many years have passed, there still are several people who were at the party who have not been interviewed by detectives, Adams said.
“We are asking for anyone who was at the party, especially those injured during the fight, to come forward and speak with us,” she said.
Mercado’s mother and sister each were interviewed on the video put together by the Police Department, which also shows photos from Mercado’s life.
Najera urged witnesses to come forward, especially if they “feel God tugging at your heart.” She said she thinks the case will eventually be solved.
“That tug is real,” she said. “Come forward and give us any information you might have.”