Joel Aguiniga, 19, was fatally shot just before midnight on January 10, 2020, at the Parkside Apartments on Giffen Drive in Huron, California. Police responding to multiple calls of shots fired found Aguiniga on the ground; he was unarmed and was pronounced dead at the scene. He frequently stayed in the area with friends.

Detectives reported difficulties gathering information about the suspect and circumstances, and investigators noted that several gang members lived in the complex, prompting speculation that gang activity may have been involved. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Homicide Unit took over the inquiry as its first homicide of 2020.

Detectives eventually identified 18-year-old Julian Torres as the primary suspect. Acting on a tip, investigators tracked Torres to Avondale, Arizona, where U.S. Marshals arrested him on February 4, 2020. He waived extradition and was returned to Fresno, booked February 13, 2020, on one murder charge with bail set at $1 million. Anyone with information about Joel’s case is asked to come forward.