Richard Steward Villeda, 28, was shot to death around 12:30 a.m. on August 21, 2017, in the 800 block of East Culver Avenue in Orange, California. Officers responding to reports of gunfire found him wounded in the street; he was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Witnesses heard multiple gunshots, and police said there were no immediate signs of a struggle or argument at the scene. Villeda was not a resident of the neighborhood where he was found.

Investigators later concluded the killing was a targeted hit tied to the Mexican Mafia. Authorities say Johnny Martinez, then incarcerated, accused Villeda of stealing drugs and money and ordered the murder. Three men identified as Mike Escobar, James Mendez, and Kevin Trejor were convicted of carrying out the killing on Martinez’s behalf; reports allege they lured Villeda from his Anaheim home to the location and shot him multiple times, including seven times in the back and once in the head. Sentencing for the three men was scheduled for March 2024.

Did anyone in Orange County or Anaheim have information about Villeda’s movements in August 2017 or about the events leading up to that night?