Cody Michael Lea, 21, of Modesto, California, was fatally shot on November 21, 2017 during what investigators say was a drug transaction that went wrong. According to accounts of the night, Cody and his girlfriend went to East Back Park so Cody could act as a middleman in a sale of two ounces of cocaine for $2,000. As he approached the buyer’s car a gunshot rang out; his girlfriend tried to help and called for assistance but Cody died at the scene.

The investigation resulted in the arrest of David Lionel Wilmore, who was charged with Cody’s murder. The trial that opened in December 2021 included testimony from Cody’s girlfriend and other witnesses; prosecutors presented witness statements and physical evidence such as tire tracks. Cody’s family and friends remembered him as a kind, hardworking young man who had recently started a roofing job and held candlelight vigils in his memory.

Does anyone have additional information about the events at East Back Park on November 21, 2017 or about Cody’s life in Modesto?