Ricardo Jimenez-Garcia charged in 2017 Simi Valley mask attack

Ricardo Jimenez-Garcia is charged in Ventura County court after an assault on a woman walking to work. The arrest marks a break in an unsolved criminal case that sat cold for nearly nine years.

Authorities have not disclosed what evidence led to the suspect. Officials have not shared the woman’s injuries or if she knew the men.

The incident occurred on Sept. 21, 2017. It took place just after 4 a.m. along Galena Avenue in Simi Valley.

Prosecutors allege Jimenez-Garcia, 39, and several other men physically assaulted the woman. The group used a knife during the early-morning assault.

The attackers wore masks resembling the Ghostface character from the horror movie “Scream”. They wore them to conceal their identities, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

The suspects fled following the attack. The woman called 911 immediately.

Officers with the Simi Valley Police Department responded. They pursued investigative leads at the time. The case eventually went cold.

Investigators with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office later identified Jimenez-Garcia as a suspect. He was arrested Sept. 9, 2026. Prosecutors announced the charges on Friday. Specific charges against him were not detailed in the announcement.

Investigators now seek public help to find other suspects. Unsolved cases often move to specialized units when initial leads stall.

Anyone who witnessed the 2017 attack or recognizes Jimenez-Garcia can contact District Attorney Investigator Yumi Kirk at 805-477-1638.