CAIN VELASQUEZ DENIED BAIL

Former UFC Champion and WWE performer Cain Velasquez was denied bail in a court hearing yesterday, according to The Associated Press.  Velasquez has been hit with ten charges, including attempted murder, in San Jose, CA stemming from the shooting incident earlier this month.

Velasquez has been charged first degree attempted murder, multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and shooting an occupied motor vehicle, among other charges.  He faces up to 70 years in prison.

California's The Mercury News reported that Velasquez was arrested after opening fire at a car carrying 43-year old Harry Eugene Goularte and his stepfather with the stepfather being struck by a bullet and hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries.  Goularte had been charged with molesting an underage relative of Velasquez at a home daycare center run by his mother in San Martin, California.  Goularte, who lives at the home, had been given a supervised release last week after being arraigned on one felony count of a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 14.   

San Jose authorities state that Velasquez followed Goularte in his own Ford F-250.  He allegedly began shooting into the Chevy Silverado driven by Goularte's stepfather, who was shot.  Cain also allegedly rammed into the car with his own truck and continued firing.  Velasquez left the scene of the incident but was taken into custody up the road without further incident.  Police found a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun in Cain's truck. They also noted they found two 10-bullet magazines in the vehicle, noting that 8 total bullets were missing from the mags.

A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Velasquez retired from Mixed Martial Arts in 2019 and transitioned into professional wrestling. After working a few Lucha Libre AAA shows, he signed with WWE in 2019 and worked one match against Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel 2019, where he lost.   After being released from WWE in 2020, Velasquez returned to pro wrestling in 2021, working a match at Lucha Libre AAA’s Triplemania Regia event this past December.

Velasquez has turned down media interview invitations since being jailed.

Shortly after the Velasquez arrest, The Santa Clarita Prosecutor's Office issued the following:

Former UFC Fighter Charged with Shooting Relative of Child Abuse Suspect

Former UFC Fighter Charged with Shooting Relative of Child Abuse Suspect

Former UFC heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez, will be arraigned this afternoon for shooting a man in an attempt to murder another man who has been charged with molesting Velasquez’s close family member. 

Velasquez, 39, fired a handgun multiple times into a truck carrying Harry Goularte, and two older relatives and rammed the truck with his truck. Goularte’s male relative, 63, was struck once, but expected to survive.

Velasquez is charged with attempted, premeditated murder, and other related charges. He will be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. in Department 23 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. He could face incarceration if convicted.

 “The sad tragedy is that Mr. Velasquez chose to take the law into his own hands, endangering the public and everyone in the truck,” DA Jeff Rosen said. “This act of violence also causes more pain and suffering to his family.”

Velasquez began shooting at the victims at Cochran Road and Butterfield Boulevard in Morgan Hill around 3:00 p.m. Monday. Velasquez, driving a Ford truck, followed the victims’ Chevrolet Silverado truck, driven by Goularte’s stepfather. During the 11-mile, high speed chase through busy streets into San Jose, Velasquez rammed his truck into the Silverado and fired multiple rounds with his registered .40 handgun. A female passenger in the Silverado called 911 for help.

Goularte was uninjured in the attack. Velasquez was stopped and arrested by Morgan Hill police near Madrone Avenue in San Jose. 

Goularte, 43, is facing felony charges that he molested a child. He was arraigned in Santa Clara County Superior Court on February 25. A judge released him from custody without bail over the District Attorney’s objections. He was released under the conditions that he stay in home detention in Morgan Hill, stay 100 yards away from any child under 14, and wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. Goularte was on his way to get the monitor when Cain attacked.

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