Donald Joshua Ratzlaff, 41, of Huntington Beach, was shot to death on July 31, 2022. Westminster officers first responded about 4:10 a.m. to reports of gunfire at an apartment complex on the 15200 block of Magnolia Street but found no evidence and cleared the call. About twenty minutes later Fountain Valley police were alerted that a gunshot victim had been found in a white van at the Arco gas station at 10975 Edinger Ave. The van’s driver had fled before police arrived, and the victim was identified as Ratzlaff.

Investigators say the shooting likely occurred at the Westminster apartment complex after an argument; neighbors reported hearing gunshots and seeing a van leave shortly afterward. A few days later authorities arrested 39-year-old Matthew Francisco Mattice at a Travelodge motel in Costa Mesa on suspicion of murder. Mattice was charged with murder, with a personal use of a firearm enhancement, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was held on $1 million bail.

Ratzlaff had a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1997, including convictions for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, attempted solicitation to commit a crime, gang activity, and earlier offenses such as petty theft, burglary, possession of stolen property, and car theft. Anyone with information about the events that morning is asked to come forward.