Costa Mesa Police Arrest Gang Member for Fatal Stabbing of Teen Girl

On August 9, 2025, a 15-year-old girl was fatally stabbed in a gang-related attack in Costa Mesa, California. First responders found the victim with a life-threatening stab wound on Shalimar Drive and despite CPR and hospital transport, she died from her injuries. The Costa Mesa Police Department, along with gang-unit detectives, quickly identified the suspect as 31-year-old Matthew Juarez, a suspected gang member from Anaheim. Juarez was arrested the same evening at his Anaheim residence without incident. Authorities have withheld the victim's identity due to her age and the ongoing investigation, and it remains unclear if there was any connection between the suspect and the victim. Police are seeking additional information from the public to assist with the case.