Sidewalk Memorial Grows for Man Fatally Stabbed on State Street in Santa Barbara
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Family, friends and passersby stopped at a memorial for Anthony Michael Bisquera Hartley on Monday.
The 30-year-old was fatally stabbed along the 500 block of State Street in Santa Barbara around 12:30 a.m. as crowds of people celebrated Old Spanish Days.
Friends who knew him and the two other victims said the survivors are recovering from stab wounds at Cottage Hospital.
Bisquerra Hartley leaves behind a five-year-old daughter and 8-years-old and 10-years-old sons.
Their aunt, Kat Barradas, placed a poster full of family photos among the flowers, candles, confetti-filled cascarones and his favorite beers.
“Just be careful out there, please, and you know, hug your kids, love your kids, be close to your family, don’t be mad because you never know when it is going to be the last day,” said Barradas.
She recalled how his youngest talked about celebrating her dad’s life.
“She goes ‘you know what tia, we are going to make him a party. Are you coming? Because my daddy needs a party, because everyone was at the party except for him, because he went to heaven early,'” Barradas.
Their uncle Raul Botello described him as a car-detailer who went to San Marcos High School.
“He was there for his kids to provide for them and for the family, he was for 15 years since my sister and he have been together, he was always there for us,” said Botello.
Others stopped to pay their respects, too.
Alma Rios of Santa Barbara said it was tragic, especially during the local fiesta celebration.
Witness said they heard a fist fight before the bloodshed.
Police have arrested three men, 29-year-old Luis Gerardo Terrazas, 28-year-old Juan Fernando Rios, and 30-year-old Sergio Rivas.
Relatives wonder if something could have been done to save him along the closure called the promenade.
“I have videos,” said Barradas.
A GoFundMe has raised thousands of dollars to help his mother with the funeral expenses and more.
But they say more will be needed to take care of his kids in the years to come.
For more information or to donate visit the GoFundMe here.
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