Jonathan Mahaffey, 59, a longtime figure in Fresno’s music scene and a former member of the 1980s band The Roids, was found dead behind a pizza restaurant near First and Bullard on January 17, 2018. An initial examination left the cause of death unclear, but a coroner’s X-ray later revealed a gunshot to the chest, and the case was classified as a homicide.

Mahaffey, remembered for a soulful, raspy voice and regular local performances including blues nights at DiCicco’s in Clovis, had struggled with drug abuse but stayed active in music. Fresno police opened a homicide investigation and said the shooting did not appear to be gang-related. No arrests or suspects have been publicly identified and the motive remains unknown.