Marcos Sandoval, 52, was fatally shot while walking his dog in the early morning hours of March 12, 2022, in the Mid-City neighborhood of Los Angeles. The shooting occurred near Genesee Avenue and Saturn Street at about 5 a.m. A dark-colored sedan approached, an exchange of words followed, and multiple gunshots were fired. Surveillance footage showed the dog running back home after the shooting. Paramedics pronounced Sandoval dead at the scene after he was found at around 6:15 a.m.

Investigators later identified 21-year-old Cliffton Kamal-Christopher Styles, originally from San Marcos, Texas, as the suspect. Authorities say Styles had traveled across the country, making stops including San Diego, and that detectives believe the attack was random and unprovoked; they also suspected Styles may have been suffering from mental illness at the time. Styles was arrested at his San Marcos residence on April 27, 2022, and charged with Sandoval’s murder, with investigators looking into whether he was involved in other acts of predatory violence during his travels.

Sandoval’s family and neighbors were left devastated and worried about safety in the community. If anyone has information about Sandoval’s movements that morning or about suspicious activity in Mid-City around March 12, please come forward.