The news that four men (including a former Bellarmine student and current freshman football coach) have been arrested for the murder of Los Gatos businessman Mark Achilli shows that though we live in a safe area, something pulled right out of a Hollywood movie can and did happen in our backyard.
Los Gatos is an idyllic, insulated place that almost has a glass bubble around it to keep out many of the problems that San Jose deals with on a daily basis, like the homeless, cruising, political drama, money woes, potholes, out-of-control celebrations and crime. However, we all know that glass can break and, as in this case, shatter.
It will be interesting to see how such a town changes and recovers, if that’s at all possible. Will people in Los Gatos feel that life isn’t as safe as it seemed? Will they attribute this incident to a more violent world in general, or Los Gatos becoming something different than it once was? Are the bars and the entertainment scene in Los Gatos becoming a focal point and are they a contributing factor? Maybe Los Gatos residents will start to look closer at their own town and see if it’s really as idyllic on the inside as it appears on the outside. Perhaps there are problems that need to be looked at without those rose-colored glasses on.
What tends to be overshadowed in tragedies such as this is that there are many victims. In addition to Mark Achilli losing his life, he left behind a wife and family whose lives are undoubtedly changed forever. Looking at the post-funeral celebrations and chat rooms and guest books, it seems he was known for bringing people together to have fun. Those who knew him loved that about him and it shows.
Whether it was over love, money or both, something like this can happen anywhere. Now that Los Gatos has had its bubble burst, what happens next? Do people start to take more notice of things they once let pass them by? Only time will tell if this incident will change Los Gatos or be chalked up as an anomaly in an otherwise “perfect” town.
I can’t imagine that Mountain Charley’s or 180 would continue to be successful operations with the thuggy likes of those two on the front page lurking around the premises. Seems to me that this Garcia guy associated with his share of shady characters. It will be interesting to see how all of this unfolds. And points for the LG Police for keeping quiet on the details until they’ve got a solid case built.
I can’t wait to see this one on City Confidential.
Ugh, that’s the problem with these burbs. They think having their own mayor makes them any more safe than Almaden residents. That doesn’t make much sense.
Just goes to show you that bouncers are the lowest form of human, as if we didn’t already know that….
This story gets shadier and shadier for sure..
This murder was carried out in a particular fashion, that of the undisguised hit, a method commonly used by crime organizations and one well-known to fans of shows like “The Sopranos.” For organized crime it is a proven way to eliminate an enemy as it seldom points investigators in a direction precise enough for and arrest and conviction. But in a case where one individual wants another dead for personal reasons it is a horrible choice, because unless the murder victim is dirty enough to lead the investigation elsewhere the cops are certain to quickly focus on those few individuals with personal motives. And once down to the handful of suspects who possessed both the motive and the necessary knowledge of the victim, checking phone and bank records becomes a more manageable and fruitful task, one likely to reveal the little bits and pieces that go into breaking down a criminal conspiracy (of dunces).
And if the cops got the right guys, these guys are truly dunces. There were better ways. There is a price to pay for watching too much television.
But there are other things to wonder about, such as the source of young Mr. Garcia’s investment capital and the secrets encountered by the police during their search of his and the victim’s personal and business records. If any of the players had a history of involvement in anything dirty, or with anyone dirty, then it is quite possible that among the cop’s big pile of dirt will be the names and shames of some people who had nothing to do with the murder.
If my memory of the news coverage is correct, state narcotics officers were involved in this case from the start. Hmmm…
This is very sad. The old saying that “Bad things happen to good people,” is very true and this is one of those instances. My thoughts and prayers are with this family. I hope whomever did this is sent to jail!
Our world is becoming a very dangerous place. Last year, my fiancé and I were driving home late one night after a business meeting. We were driving down Woodard Road a normally safe neighborhood. A guy in a truck sped past us at a stop sign and was just inches from smashing into us, as he went around us and up over the curb. My fiancé honked to let the guy know he was going to hit us. The guy turned around in the gas station and started after us at top speed. He then cut us off, blocking us in and got out of his truck and starting walking toward us. He stood in front of our car threatening to “Kill us!” I was stunned. I had my fiancé lean on the horn as this lunatic walked around to the driver side window pulling a knife out of his sheath.
I told my fiancé not to open the window but to back out and head toward the Campbell Police station. (My fiancé, who normally carries his cell phone on his belt loop, even to the bathroom had forgotten his cell phone at home.) We went down Bascom and pulled over to the gas station and called 911. Even though we had a license number, car make and model, the Police didn’t catch him.
I can tell you that the experience of going through that made me realize that we are NOT as safe as we think we are. That by doing what you’re taught in driving courses, and by what comes natural, meaning honking the horn to avoid an accident is seen as something else by some road raging nut on the road. The Police told us NEVER to honk the horn again because road rage is on the rise, and some people have been shot for less. That is pretty frightening to think about if you ask me.
#5: The presence of the interagency narcotics task force does not necessarily indicate that this was drug-related. LG Police did not suspect the victim of involvement in any commercial drug activity.
LG participates in the regional drug enforcement efforts, so this was a quick way to get officers from other departments immediately on the scene… nothing more.
Kathleen, Woodard provides an outlet for streets loaded with high density lower cost apartments with a good percentage of low life occupants. The type of road rager you described certainly would fit the profile of what lurks in that high density zone. The redneck element is well represented in that corner of town. Proceed with caution.
#8- Thank you Mark T. I think the guy came from that Bar and Grill at the end of the road. He looked like he was high or drunk. I’m surprised the Police didn’t catch him since we gave them his license plate number.
Single Girl,
After reading your second and third paragraph I understand your feelings about Los Gatos, but there are some nice people living in Los Gatos too.
Your comments are bold, remember a lot of the movers and shakers, lobbiest, and influncers that have designed San Jose, live in Los Gatos. They live threr because they don`t like what they have created. Most of them are anti growth, they measure “quality of life in Los Gatos” as their most important goal.“High density”, NO WAY!In San Jose,No Problem!
We all know that our City is developed by people who live in Los Gatos,Saratoga and Los Altos Hills. “The people with the Gold make the rules”.
It wasn`t long ago that a similar incident happened in Saratoga, thats life in the fast lane.
Kathleen, several years ago I was sideswiped by a speeding SUV while out driving in my old convertible. I got the license plate number and called the cops and provided it. They took my contact info. The car was still drivable although it had a front end problem as a result, so I went about my business and then drove home. As I got home, the cop pulled up. He advised that they went to the address associated with the vehicle and found 4 guys sitting there who fit the description I gave, all of whom stated that they hadn’t left the house all day. The cop also advised that they had previously dealt with the one guy at that house that they suspected was the driver as he had a history of trouble. But they couldn’t finger him, even though some of my car’s paint was on his SUV’s bumper guard. So it’s no suprise that the cops weren’t able to successfully nab and nail the guy on Woodard. It’s easier said than done.
Single Gal,
Do you remember how upset these west side Santa Clara County residents were when Hwy 85 was going to be built through their community?
Now that Hwy 85 is built and packed in all lanes (inc the diamond lane) during the commute hours, how do think they would react to BART being under Hwy 9 from Los Gatos to Cupertino, then onto Los Altos Hills. Then to make BART successful we built the hudge BART parking lots in Los Gatos,Saratoga,Cupertino and Los Altos Hills. Then started building high density housing all along Hwy 9 so BART would be successful.
Think of the big BART endorcers (for BART from San Jose to the East Bay) living in Los Gatos and Saratoga,Cupertino and Los Gatos would react to BART in their back yard ????
Single Gal, do you have any idea, your thoughts?
Single Gal,
Los Gatos/Saratoga has a long history of problems with crimes of this type. It wasn`t that long ago that a dead body was found early in the morning face down in his own blood in front of Johnny`s on Santa Cruz Ave. The Hacienda lodge and no-tell motel has a older history of murders, also the Los Gatos Lodge another hot spot. Not long ago a murder in a condo on Hwy 9 in Saratoga.
These hill towns both had their “Bubble Burst” long ago.The area has long been a playground with fatal results.
Never was a perfect town.
Single Gal,
This is quite a turn from one of your last blogs entries that recorded a so-called “day in a life” inside the apparently swanky bars and “streets of Los Gatos.”
As I’ve found, back on October 24, 2005 you seemed to be quite dazzled by the “fast life” there in that town, as it seems. At that time you wrote on your blog:
“Los Gatos, known for its Range Rovers and boutiques, has become a staple for the Single Gal and her friends. Recently, I went to the 180 Lounge, and when I walked in, I was stunned. Was this actually the old Los Gatos Bar and Grill? Where were those drunk guys from high school that I used to hide from? Instead, there was smoky glass, bamboo, lounge chairs, dim lighting, and a woman in a box.”
You seemed rather perplexed and jealous of this woman on display who was behind glass and “lounging on a velvet bed dressed in lingerie.”
What upset you was “How can a single gal compete with someone in a box? …Instead of talking to someone real in the bar, maybe this is the woman that men would rather be with because they can imagine her to be whatever they want her to be.”
And yet, wasn’t this similar to my point to you back on November 13, 2007, when you were going on and on about the so-called “bottled water controversy.” Wow, as if that was a real brouhaha and hullabaloo that would topple the powers that be! Everyone was talking about “Bottle Water!!” Anyway, on that day, if you recall, I asked “‘Are you warm, are you real,’ Single Gal? ‘Or just a cold and lonely lovely’ blogger?” Perhaps, it seemed that I went too far when I spurred you for “all these senseless things in your life that you collect and which you think are important… are they really valuable? Or do they just take up valuable time, resources and money? I’m not saying you have to be “Plain Jane,” Gal, but, could you really strip all these things away and get down to the REAL you?!”
Single Gal, both you and the Mona Lisa, to which I once compared you, are distant, untouchable objects. Yet, when I visit the artistic Mona Lisa, her eyes are always upon me with a certain sensual gaze. I cannot say that about you, nor the Lounge 180 woman in a glass box. That’s exactly the point, too. Why should you be so surprised that such violent acts can occur in such a seemingly pretentious, selfless place? Does this really have anything to do with the town of Los Gatos, or is it about your inner human condition and lifestyle? Perhaps, do you think, that when life becomes so meaningless and absurd and when people fail to make real “connections,” that they can do extreme acts to create a sense of place, purpose and value? In other words, do you think that there’s a certain kind of desperation?
As far as I can remember, this is not the first murder at a bar or like business in the town of Los Gatos. I’m sure there are similar violent crimes on record, some of which I can remember but cannot name outright. Many of us who drive into Los Gatos on occasion often forget that there are different parts of town; as well as that this community is as much a part of valley life as anywhere else. Its also not much different from other like small towns across the country, that do in fact have crimes and other social problems.
Well, David, it seems you have me pegged. Yes, I am jealous of the Woman in the Box at 180. I love dimly lit places with limited amounts of oxygen.
I thought men were supposed to like elusiveness, aren’t they David?