On July 22, 2019, 43-year-old Jose Ruben Ayon was fatally shot in Delano, California. The shooting occurred in the 10000 block of San Jose Avenue at about 3 p.m. Ayon was taken to Delano Regional Medical Center and was pronounced dead roughly an hour later. Investigators reported he had been shot multiple times.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office identified 39-year-old Ruben Mirola as a suspect and arrested him on suspicion of murder and related offenses. Authorities asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Sheriff’s Office or Secret Witness. Motive was not immediately clear and the community reacted with grief and calls for justice.

Witness testimony and law enforcement statements entered the court record as the case moved through the legal process; the ultimate outcome remained unresolved as hearings continued. If anyone has information about Ayon, his movements that afternoon, or the events on San Jose Avenue, contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office or Secret Witness.