VENTURA, Calif. — Authorities have charged a man with murder following the resurfacing of a 2014 case involving the stabbing death of a father near a local elementary school. Labh Nigah, a 55-year-old father of three, was fatally attacked just moments after dropping off his son. The investigation, which remained dormant for over a decade, gained momentum due to advancements in DNA technology.
Jose Antonio Jimenez, 32, was taken into custody on April 2 in connection with Nigah’s death, which shocked the Ventura community during its occurrence. The incident unfolded on November 13, 2014, when Nigah was ambushed while walking in Sierra Linda Park, adjacent to Sierra Linda Elementary School. Local authorities were dispatched around 8:43 a.m., responding to reports of a battery. Upon arrival, officers found Nigah suffering from critical stab wounds, and despite emergency efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites emphasized the brutality of the crime, noting its occurrence in a crowded, daytime setting. The attack distressed not only Nigah’s family but also left nearby teachers and students in shock. Initial investigations suggested that Nigah was randomly targeted, with no known connection between him and Jimenez.
In the years following the attack, investigators attempted to piece together the case with witness statements, sketches, and forensic evidence. While DNA samples were collected and submitted to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, no matches were identified, which slowed the case’s progress. The homicide remained unsettling to local law enforcement, particularly because it occurred in a space typically associated with safe, everyday routines.
Recently, renewed efforts by law enforcement agencies, including the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit, led to breakthroughs in the case. Through the use of advanced DNA techniques, detectives were able to trace familial connections that ultimately pointed to Jimenez, who lived mere blocks from the park at the time of the murder. On April 2, law enforcement executed an arrest warrant at Jimenez’s residence without incident.
Jimenez faces one count of murder, alongside special allegations indicating he wielded a knife and committed the act with extreme violence. During his initial appearance in court on April 6, his bail was set at $1 million after prosecutors requested a higher amount. He remains in custody as the case continues through the judicial process, with an arraignment scheduled for April 28.
For Nigah’s family, the arrest has stirred emotions long buried in grief. Described as an immigrant who prioritized his children’s education while working as a clerk, Nigah’s legacy lives on in his daughters, Harleen and Arshneel Kaur. The sisters noted that the unresolved nature of the case had become a source of its own sort of closure, but the revelation of a suspect was both unexpected and significant.
The investigation, which initially began as a battery report, quickly escalated into a homicide probe following an autopsy that confirmed Nigah’s death resulted from violent trauma. Police noted a considerable blood trail, suggesting a violent struggle shortly before officers arrived. While specifics regarding a motive for the attack remain unclear, investigators maintain that no provocation on Nigah’s part led to the violence.
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko reiterated that the incident represented an ambush on an unsuspecting victim, leading to consequences that cannot be undone for Nigah’s family. While justice remains a work in progress, the case highlights the importance of continued diligence in cold-case investigations and advancements in forensic science.
Jose Jimenez is next set to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on April 28 at 1:30 p.m. The charges he faces are still allegations as the legal process unfolds, marking a significant step forward after years of unanswered questions surrounding Labh Nigah’s tragic death.