Residents of Pleasant Hill were shocked after the fatal stabbing of 37-year-old park janitor Santiago Jacobo at Pleasant Hill Park on Feb. 10.

According to the Pleasant Hill Police Department, Jacobo, a Pittsburg resident and father of two, was  found by his wife Alejandra Jacobo in the main parking lot of the park, located at 147 Gregory Lane, after he didn’t return home from his late-night shift. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

This incident is the city’s first homicide investigation since April 2023, PHP Captain Matt Kristic told The East Bay Times.

“I am extremely surprised that something like this would happen here,” said Rebel Hollins, 35, who has lived with his wife Natalia on Gregory Lane for the past five years.

“I feel very safe. I guess there was that shooting over at the shopping center down here about a year ago,” he added, referring to the April 2023 shooting that left one man dead outside a sports bar one block away from the park.

“That’s a little bit scary, but I kind of figured that was a one-off,” he said.

The Hollins visit the park every other day with their dogs and sometimes walk downtown to watch movies in the evenings.

“After this incident, I am going to be thinking twice about if we should walk at night,” said Natalia Hollins, 31.

A fellow Pleasant Hill resident, Barbara, who chose to withhold her last name, said she has visited the park to walk her dog on a daily basis for the past 52 years living in Pleasant Hill.

“It seems like we have more to worry about now,” she said. “More things are happening. Fifty-two years ago you didn’t have to worry about a thing.”

Barbara said the stabbing didn’t change her attitude toward public safety.

“I think this park is still a wonderful park. I hope that was a one-time incident we don’t have to worry about,” she added.

No suspects have been arrested, and the investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information related to the case, please contact the Pleasant Hill Police Investigations Bureau at 925-288-4630.

Jacobo’s family has arranged a Go-Fund-Me page to cover funeral expenses.