2 people arrested in Feb. 13 fatal stabbing

A man and woman have been arrested and criminally charged in connection with a fight that ended with a fatal stabbing near a group of city parks earlier this month, police said.

Homicide investigators were summoned the afternoon of Feb. 13 after a man was dropped off at a hospital with stab wounds and died soon after, according to San Jose police. He was identified by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office as 39-year-old Jonathan James Rushing.

Officers determined that the stabbing occurred near Taylor and Spring streets, which are flanked by Columbus Park and Guadalupe Gardens.

Police said an investigation quickly identified 32-year-old Ryan Douglas Hope as the primary suspect in the killing. On Feb. 17, police stopped a car occupied by Hope near Umbarger Road — about 6 miles away from the crime scene — and arrested him.

Officers also arrested 38-year-old Dulce Chavez, who was also in the vehicle. Hope was charged with the stabbing, and Chavez was charged with assault in the alleged fight with Rushing.

Hope was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail, where he is being held without bail. Records do not show any entry indicating that Chavez was jailed. Both defendants were scheduled for arraignment Feb. 23.

Police have not disclosed what exactly led to the reported fight that ended with the stabbing. The death marked the fifth homicide of the year investigated by San Jose police, a total that has since risen to eight as of Monday.

Anyone with information for investigators can contact the SJPD homicide unit at 408-277-5283 or email Detective Sgt. Rafael Varela at 3638@ sanjoseca.gov or Detective Jose Montoya at 3644@sanjoseca.gov. Tips can be left with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or at siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org.