Shooting victim identified as 34-year-old Ben Terra
Benjamin Terra was a local commercial fisherman, surfer, and environmental activist. Photos from Facebook.
–Thirty-four-year-old Benjamin Terra was found dead in rural Paso Robles on Saturday. Terra’s body was found inside a home on the 4200 block of Old Nacimiento Road after a nine-hour standoff with San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Enforcement Detail with 61-year-old Nicole Luxor of Paso Robles, who was then arrested for allegedly murdering Terra.
Terra was a local commercial fisherman, surfer, and environmental activist. Word of his death, caused by a fatal gunshot wound, has left friends at a loss.
“While traveling through Central America a long time ago this nice young man had the patience to befriend a stranger and get me through borders and language barriers,” said friend Taylor Giberson of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. “If that’s what he’s willing to do for a stranger, I can only imagine how good of a friend and family member he must have been.”
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the rural location after receiving a call about a possible deceased body being at the location. According to the sheriff’s department, Luxor allegedly barricaded herself into the resident and fired at the deputies during the standoff though no one was injured.
She was arrested for one count of murder and 36 counts of attempted murder, according to the sheriff’s report. Her bail is set at $1 million.
Terra graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2006. He grew up in Morro Bay.
Friends took to Terra’s Facebook page to post their sadness over this loss of life. There people who have known him for years, as well as people he hadn’t known long, posted remembrances of him. Many told stories of meeting him in places such as Nicaragua, and Big Sur. “Love you bro, you will be missed by all!” posted Michael Lopaka Jones. “Sweet Ben…you will be greatly missed,” wrote Christine Davis Corsiglia.
Terra was a regular of Linnaea’s Cafe in San Luis Obispo, Jeremy Fama, a former employee of the cafe, said that he was shocked to the point of tears to hear the news of his death. Fama described Terra as, “being a part of the community.” Fama said that the two would chat about music, and that Terra called himself, “BenJamin” as in he has, “been jammin.”
A memorial service will be held for Terra on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. at Rock Harbor Christian Fellowship, 1475 Quintana Road in Morro Bay. A celebration for Terra will follow at the Morro Bay Vets Hall, 209 Surf St.
