A Santa Barbara man fatally stabbed in a downtown fight was armed with a knife at the time, investigators said, leading the District Attorney’s Office to amend criminal charges filed against the other men allegedly involved in the incident.
Santa Barbara Police said Anthony Michael Bisquera Hartley, 30, was killed and two other people were wounded in stabbings on the 500 block of State Street around 12:20 a.m. Aug. 1.
On Wednesday, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office released a statement saying it was amending charges against the three defendants charged related to the stabbings, and was dropping murder and gang-related allegations.
The District Attorney’s Office originally charged Sergio Rivas, 30, and Juan Fernando Rios, 28, with murder, personally using a knife, and committing the murder to benefit a criminal street gang.
“The District Attorney’s Office based those charges on the state of the investigation at that time, which showed that Mr. Bisquera-Hartley was unarmed when he attacked Mr. Rivas and suffered a fatal stab wound at the hands of Mr. Rivas and a non-fatal stab wound at the hands of Mr. Rios,” officials said in a statement.
“Since the filing of charges, the District Attorney’s Office received additional video evidence. It determined that, in fact, Mr. Bisquera-Hartley was armed with a knife at the time he attacked Mr. Rivas and that Mr. Rivas acted in lawful self-defense when he stabbed Mr. Bisquera-Hartley. It was also determined that Mr. Rios acted in lawful defense of Mr. Rivas when he stabbed Mr. Bisquera-Hartley.”
The amended criminal complaint charges Rivas for assault with a deadly weapon against someone identified in court documents as J. Ramos, and the special allegation of causing great bodily injury. Rivas also faces gun-related charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and carrying a loaded firearm in public, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Rios faces gun-related charges stemming from an earlier arrest in July.
Luis Gerardo Terrazas, 29, was originally charged with attempted murder of Rivas and allegations of personally using a knife and committing the crime to benefit a criminal street gang. The amended complaint charges Terrazas with assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, and personally using a deadly weapon.
“The District Attorney’s Office also determined that the evidence does not support the filing of gang charges in connection with the crimes committed on Aug. 1, 2025,” officials said.
Rivas, Rios and Terrazas will be arraigned on the charges in Santa Barbara Superior Court Monday morning.
The Aug. 1 stabbing happened during Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta.
Police foot patrol officers were flagged down by a passerby who reported people fighting, the department said in a statement.
Officers found multiple victims with stab wounds and they were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
“Detectives immediately began processing multiple crime scenes, recovering critical evidence including knives, clothing, and blood samples, while also conducting a search for additional suspects and victims. Within hours, investigators identified other involved individuals and started making arrests,” police said.
Family members described Bisquera Hartley as a devoted father of three and a kind, easy-going man.