3 Mo’s Place bouncers accused of killing patron

Nearly one year after Derek “Zippy” Penaranda was beaten at Mo’s Place, three people have been accused of killing him.

Penaranda, who was from Ripon, was on the South Shore in May 2012 to celebrate his 30th birthday. He got in a fight at the South Lake Tahoe bar. He never recovered from the injuries he sustained. He died in October.

“Since the emergency room at Barton, I knew Zip wouldn’t be coming home,” Wayne Penaranda told Lake Tahoe News last fall.

Derek “Zippy” Penaranda and Katie Musselwhite had hoped to one day marry. Photo/Provided

He was cautious at the time with what he wanted to release to the media regarding his son’s death and the criminal investigation. Since Day 1 he said he had been working with El Dorado County Deputy District Attorney Joe Alexander.

Penaranda was not available to speak of the proceedings that occurred this week.

The grand jury indictments leveled against the accused – Rodolfo Hernandez, 44, Sean Canilao, 48, and Ruben Lizzaragga (age unknown) – have been sealed by El Dorado County Superior Court Judge James Wagoner. These three worked as bouncers at the bar.

Hernandez was in custody on involuntary manslaughter charges with bail set at $50,000. However, there is an immigration hold on him. Arrest warrants are out for the other two.

For now the case is being heard in Placerville, though it could be moved to South Lake Tahoe. That may be decided on May 3.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report