By Eric Heinz
Orange County Sheriff’s Department officials said Craig Tanber, 37, the primary suspect in the Labor Day stabbing death of a 22-year-old man in Laguna Niguel, was captured this morning at a Motel 6, 13100 Goldenwest St., in Westminster. Tanber was taken into custody “without injury or any incident,” a press release stated.
According to OCSD, he was arrested for murder and his bail has been set at $1 million. He is expected to appear in court Tuesday, Sept. 15. He is being held at Orange County Jail for processing.
Tanber is a former Dana Hills High School student, according to a Facebook page that was established for him while he was last in prison.
The stabbing homicide took place early Monday morning at Patsy’s Irish Pub, located at 28971 Golden Lantern, in Laguna Niguel, about six miles from Dana Point.
Around midnight on Monday, Tanber was in an “altercation” with Shayan Mazroei, 22, and during the altercation Tanber allegedly stabbed Mazroei in the upper torso. Paramedics took him to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Tanber has been associated with the prison-based and Southern California gang known as Public Enemy Number 1, or PENI, a white supremacists organization that, according to FBI information, is known for distribution of methamphetamines, credit card fraud and identity theft.
In 2004, Tanber was implicated in the death of a 26-year-old Huntington Beach man, according to police records. Tanber was one of nine suspects in the case and was eventually found guilty as an accessory to manslaughter. The original case was ruled a mistrial because a juror had performed illegal research on one of the defendants. In 2007, Tanber received six years for his crimes.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the OCSD Homicide Unit at 714.647.7055 or 714.647.7000. Anonymous tips can be sent to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855.847.6227 or at www.occrimestoppers.org.
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