Father, Son Arrested After Man Stabbed to Death During Grant Hill ‘Melee’

A father remained in custody Saturday after police arrested him, along with his son, following the stabbing death of a man in Grant Hill.

The father, Emilio Torres Valencia, 37, was first transported to a local hospital for treatment before being booked into San Diego County Jail. His son, 17, was taken to Juvenile Hall.

The victim is described as a 36-year-old Hispanic male. San Diego police did not release his name.

Homicide detectives said there was bad blood between one of the suspects and the victim following an alleged case of vandalism last month.

That led to Friday, when police received multiple reports of an altercation near the intersection of 27th and L streets at about 4:46 p.m.

Police said a “melee” had ensued when the men saw each other, leading to the suspect’s vehicle being vandalized with a rock and a bat. The car subsequently crashed into a power pole.

Officers found the victim suffering from at least one stab wound and additional trauma to his head. CPR was administered at the scene and the man was transported to a local hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine his cause of death.

The victim’s 15-year-old son was interviewed by officers at the scene, but ultimately released to his mother. He is not facing any charges at this time.

Authorities said an earlier fight between the parties had been reported to police, but not the alleged vandalism. They offered no further details regarding those incidents.

Detectives are continuing to investigate, including processing the scene for physical evidence, attempting to locate and interview witnesses and canvassing the area for surveillance footage.   

Valencia faces a charge of first-degree murder and is being held without bail, according to jail records. An arraignment is set for Wednesday.