Same Man Broke Into Homes in Redwood City and San Carlos While Women Were Sleeping, Investigators Say
She thought it was her husband.
She was wrong.
In the early hours of July 5, 2026, a woman sleeping in her Redwood City home woke up to a stranger. He had walked in while she and her partner were asleep, assaulted her, and vanished before anyone could stop him.
The House. The Night. What Happened.
Officers responded to the 400 block of Jackson Avenue, just east of Jefferson Avenue, south of downtown Redwood City.
This was not a robbery. Nothing was stolen. The only target was a sleeping woman inside her own bedroom.
The suspect entered, assaulted her, and left.
How Detectives Found Him Two Blocks Away
Investigators pulled surveillance footage, canvassed the neighborhood, and worked forensic evidence. Within days they had a name: Jose Manuel Gonzalez Cruz, 30, a Redwood City resident.
He was found Tuesday, July 8, on the 400 block of Vera Avenue. Two blocks from the home where the assault happened.
Cruz was booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility on July 8. He is currently held on no bail and has not entered a plea.
Two Months Earlier. San Carlos. Same Pattern.
Here is the part that makes this worse.
On May 10, 2026, San Mateo County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a home on the 1700 block of Walnut Street in San Carlos. A man had entered while a woman slept. He laid down beside her. When she woke, she found a naked stranger next to her asking her to touch him. He fled before deputies arrived.
That case sat open for two months. Cruz had not been arrested. He was living in the same city. And according to investigators, he did it again.
Both homes sit just off El Camino Real. About 1.5 miles apart.
This kind of repeat pattern across nearby locations is something investigators see more than people realize. It came up when two armed men entered a Pennsylvania home and held teenagers at gunpoint, with detectives connecting incidents that initially looked unrelated.
A similar thread appeared when a North Miami suspect who tied up a paralyzed man during a home invasion was only caught after investigators pieced together details across separate accounts.
If you follow Bay Area crime and home security stories, there is a WhatsApp channel that covers incidents like this as they break. Good way to stay ahead without waiting on the morning news.
The Joint Investigation That Cracked It
The Redwood City Police Department and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office ran their investigations separately until detectives began comparing evidence and found the same signature across both cases.
On Friday, July 11, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office filed charges from both investigations per NBC Bay Area’s report on the arrest: two felony counts of assault with intent to commit a sexual offense during a first-degree burglary, attempted first-degree burglary, peeking or prying while loitering, and indecent exposure.
That charge of peeking or prying while loitering is worth pausing on. It signals investigators believe Cruz may have been watching these homes before entering. That is not impulsive. That is planned.
Why This Matters
This was not a break-in for cash. There was no theft. The target was a sleeping woman in a home that should have been safe.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ report on victimization during household burglary, roughly 7% of occupied home burglaries involve violent victimization, and in 28% of those violent cases the offender is a complete stranger.
When that happens inside the home, the psychological damage is among the hardest to recover from.
Authorities are also asking publicly whether there are more victims. Anyone with information is asked to call the Redwood City Police Department at (650) 780-7100 or the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office at (650) 363-4911.
This question of more unreported victims is one that repeat-pattern cases almost always raise. The DC case where a teen broke into at least 6 homes across multiple neighborhoods showed exactly how many incidents go unconnected until someone finally gets caught.
Key Takeaways
- Redwood City assault: early hours of July 5, 2026, on Jackson Avenue
- San Carlos assault: May 10, 2026, on Walnut Street, two months earlier
- Both homes roughly 1.5 miles apart, both near El Camino Real
- Jose Manuel Gonzalez Cruz, 30, charged in both cases, held on no bail
- Found two blocks from the Redwood City crime scene on July 8
- Charges include two felony counts of assault with intent during first-degree burglary, plus prowling and indecent exposure
- Has not yet entered a plea
- Authorities are actively asking if there are additional victims
What do you think should change about how neighboring cities share suspect information before a second crime happens? Should the two-month gap between San Carlos and Redwood City prompt a review of how cross-jurisdiction alerts work? Drop your take in the comments.
Wrapping Up
Two women. Two homes. Two months apart. One man allegedly responsible for both.
The arrest came through careful detective work and two agencies willing to compare what they knew. That matters. So does the fact that both women were asleep in their own homes when it happened.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. All details are based on publicly available reports and official statements at the time of publication. Charges have been filed but do not constitute a conviction.
