Man arrested in

Porterville police arrested the man they suspect is responsible for one of the cityÂ’s record nine homicides in 2006.

Jesus Valdez Ruiz was arrested June 26 in connection to the Nov. 18 shooting death of Donald Nathan Buford.

The Buford homicide was one of two killings during a bloody 2006 for which police had not arrested a suspect. No suspect has been named in the February 2006 stabbing death of Melissa Martin.

Investigators were called out to the area of Walnut Avenue and E Street Nov. 18 following reports of a shooting. There, they found Buford lying on the street with a single gunshot to the head.

Buford was transported to Sierra View District Hospital and then airlifted to University Medical Center in Fresno, where he died Nov. 23.

Police said that evidence collected over the last few months linked Ruiz to the homicide.

Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the detective, Sonya Silva, or Sgt. Jake Castellow at 782-7400.