Julio Cardoza, 33, of Downey, California, was shot once in the chest during a fight at a home on Carfax Avenue on May 25, 2022. Officers found Cardoza at the scene and he was taken to a hospital, where he died shortly afterward. The death was treated as suspicious and investigated by the Downey Police Department.

Investigators identified 27-year-old David Blake Jr. as the primary suspect. Blake was allegedly involved in the dispute, fled after the shooting, and was arrested the following morning in Porter Ranch. He was charged with one count of murder and an allegation of personal use of a firearm; he pleaded not guilty and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

The shooting devastated Cardoza’s community and drew public attention because of the defendant’s family connections. Does anyone have information about Cardoza’s life in Downey or the events at the Carfax Avenue home that night?