Salem cabdriver charged with Los Angeles murder

A quiet local man has ties to a violent gang in California, authorities say.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

SALEM — Joseph Garivay came to Salem and wound up driving for Paul’s Cab Co.

Garivay, however, is charged in Los Angeles with aggravated murder, complicity to commit murder and other counts.

Law enforcement officials say he was a “shot caller” — a gang member who decided who got shot.

Salem Police Detective David Talbert said Tuesday that Garivay was, “just a great citizen” for the approximately two years he was in Salem. He had no charges or legal troubles.

“He liked Salem and wanted to start a new life,” Talbert said.

Driving a cab, the detective said, “was the first job he ever had.”

Talbert was contacted about Garivay late last year by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives in its unsolved case — or so-called cold case division — had received a tip that Garivay was in Salem.

Talbert began watching Garivay’s home, and investigators from Los Angeles came to Salem late last year.

Garivay, his wife, Lisa Marie, and their children had lived on Cleveland and East Pershing streets.

Talbert said Garivay’s wife, who was born and reared in Los Angeles, had a connection to Salem through a family member.

Garivay’s nickname, at least locally, was “L.A.”

He also has a tattoo on his head that means “Hillbilly,” a possible gang reference.

Talbert said that Garivay was into the tattoo culture “but did not do that by trade.”

The detective met a couple times with Garivay, who decided it would be best if he turn himself in. Garivay did so on Friday in Los Angeles after driving across the country. There was no warrant for Garivay’s arrest.

Talbert said he could not discuss the whereabouts of Garivay’s family.

The cold-case detectives in Los Angeles were looking into the 1998 shooting death of Donald “Pato” Schubert in Rosemead, Calif. He had quit the gang and was working as a plumber.

Eulalio “Lalo” Martinez, a reputed member of a Mexican Mafia known as the “Eme,” which is Spanish for the letter, “M,” has been charged in Schubert’s death, according to news accounts.

Martinez is being held in a California prison, but authorities suspect that he controls the Lomas Rosemead street gang in Los Angeles. “Lomas” means “hill.”

Authorities said that Daniel Ahumada, a drug dealer, has been cooperating with them after being sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing Schubert. Garivay is also charged in that killing.

The gang is suspected of collecting a tax from drug dealers and prostitutes on the streets, as well as supplying contraband inside prisons.

wilkinson@vindy.com