It was supposed to be just another routine morning for 55-year-old Labh Nigah.
Like every other weekday, he dropped his son off at Sierra Linda Elementary School in Oxnard, California.
But this time, as he left the schoolyard, something unspeakable happened.
Labh Nigah was attacked by a stranger in broad daylight, in a public park just across from the school.
What followed was a brutal stabbing that left him dead, with children watching in horror.
The murder unfolded on April 2, 2026, but for more than 11 years, the case remained unsolved.
The shocking attack, described by officials as a random, unprovoked crime, left the community shaken.
It was not until recently that authorities were able to make an arrest.
Jose Jimenez, 32, was taken into custody and charged with murder in connection with the slaying of Nigah.
The arrest came after more than a decade of unanswered questions and an agonizing search for justice.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko called the crime “an ambush and a brutal attack” that occurred in the middle of the day.
“This was a senseless murder, and it was committed in a completely public space, with unsuspecting witnesses all around,” Nasarenko said during a press release.
In a moment that shook the small town of Oxnard, children, teachers, and school staff all witnessed the shocking attack.
Witnesses say Nigah was walking on the path near Sierra Linda Park when Jimenez approached him, seemingly without warning.
Jimenez then stabbed him repeatedly, targeting Nigah with a knife and leaving him to die just steps away from where his son had been dropped off.
“This was a truly heinous crime,” said Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites.
“It occurred in broad daylight, in a public park, next to an elementary school with children present. The horror of it is hard to put into words.”
The tragedy was made all the more disturbing by the fact that children, some as young as elementary school age, were exposed to this violent murder in real time.
“They saw everything,” Benites continued. “The teachers, the staff, and the students—everyone in the schoolyard—were forced to witness the act.”
Despite the public nature of the attack, the motive for the crime remained unclear for years.
Prosecutors initially believed the attack was random, with no prior connection between Jimenez and the victim.
“There is no evidence that the victim knew the defendant or that the defendant had any connection to the victim,” Nasarenko confirmed during a press conference.
Both men were complete strangers, and the crime appeared to be a senseless act of violence with no specific reason behind it.
Labh Nigah’s family, though devastated, found themselves struggling with the absence of answers for over a decade.
For 11 years, they lived without knowing who had taken their loved one, unable to find peace or closure.
The pain of the unknown became its own form of suffering, as they wondered every day who had committed this act of violence.
“We didn’t know who did it, and not having a name for the killer was beginning to become its own form of closure,” said Harleen Kaur, Nigah’s daughter.
“So, for it to come back after 11 years that we have a name—it’s genuinely amazing, but also still so painful.”
The case was cold for over a decade until new forensic technology led investigators to re-examine the evidence.
Advances in technology, particularly in the field of DNA analysis and surveillance footage, helped connect Jimenez to the crime.
Once identified, Jimenez was arrested and charged with one count of murder, along with three special allegations for personally using a knife in the killing, participating in an act of great violence, and targeting a vulnerable victim.
The brutality of the crime left the community and Nigah’s family grappling with a range of emotions.
How could a man with no known connection to his victim commit such a horrifying act?
And what kind of person could bring such terror to children who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?
For those who knew Labh Nigah, he was a hardworking, devoted father.
He had immigrated to the U.S. from India, where he had worked as a clerk at a local convenience store.
His family remembers him as a man who prioritized his children’s education and their future above all else.
He loved his children deeply, and nothing was more important to him than providing for their well-being.
His murder, in front of his son’s schoolmates and his neighbors, left a wound that has yet to heal.
Labh’s family, who had already endured the heartache of losing him, was now left to process the impact of what had happened.
They are determined to see justice done in his name and are calling for accountability for the man who took him from them.
As Jimenez sits in custody awaiting trial, the family continues to mourn but also to seek justice for the crime that shook their lives and their community.
For the children who were forced to witness this crime, the trauma of that day will likely stay with them for the rest of their lives.
The case has also prompted a broader conversation about the dangers of random violence in public spaces and the long-lasting impact on those who bear witness to such acts.
The community of Oxnard will never forget the day they lost a father in the most senseless of ways.
The children who witnessed the murder, the teachers who tried to help, and the family who lost Labh will carry the burden of that day for the rest of their lives.
As for the killer, Jose Jimenez, the details of his motives remain unclear.
What caused him to attack a stranger in such a violent and unprovoked manner?
What led to this devastating outcome for a family that had no warning, no reason to believe their lives would be shattered in an instant?
These questions, and many more, remain unanswered as the trial draws near.
But one thing is certain: Labh Nigah will not be forgotten.
His family will ensure that his memory lives on, and that justice is served in the name of a man who was taken far too soon.