Zachary Whittington was 16 when he was found fatally shot inside an apartment in Carmichael, California, on July 15, 2018. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department responded and treated the case as a targeted killing, though motive remained unclear at the time.

His mother, Sherrie Whittington, and the community described deep grief and a search for answers after his death. Investigators arrested a 13-year-old boy in connection with the murder, a development that intensified local concern about youth violence while beginning a legal process to determine what happened.

The family called for justice and urged efforts to prevent similar tragedies. If anyone knew Zachary, his routines, or has information about the shooting, please share what is known with investigators.