Emily Cortez was 19 when she was found with a gunshot wound to her upper torso on an upstairs walkway of an apartment complex in the Mountain View neighborhood of San Diego on July 15, 2020. A man at the scene and emergency responders tried to render aid, but she was pronounced dead at the location.

The San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit opened an investigation. Officers arrested 18-year-old Jorge Manuel Sanchez later that day; he was identified as the suspected gunman, was reportedly providing medical aid when police arrived, and was charged with murder. At arraignment Sanchez pleaded not guilty and bail was set at $2 million; a bail review was scheduled for early August 2020. The motive has not been disclosed.

Emily’s family described her as kind and joyful, and a GoFundMe was organized to help cover funeral expenses. Does anyone have information about Emily’s life in Mountain View or the days leading up to July 15, 2020?