Daniel Del Toro, 29, was shot and killed while pushing his three-month-old son in a stroller on Willow Avenue in unincorporated Hayward on July 19, 2017, around 3 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene; his infant was unharmed and placed into protective care. The killing occurred in broad daylight and left the community shocked.

Investigators determined the shooting was targeted and linked to Del Toro’s prior cooperation with law enforcement. He had testified in a 2015 trial against members of the Decoto gang, which resulted in convictions related to a 2008 Union City shooting. On the day he was killed, he was tracked by Pablo Mendoza and Brandon Follings; Mendoza’s gun jammed during an initial attempt, a struggle followed, and Follings then exited the vehicle and fatally shot Del Toro. Valeria Boden drove the car and later testified against the two men.

Mendoza and Follings were convicted of first-degree murder and the special circumstance of murdering a witness and received life sentences without parole. Boden pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter as part of a plea deal and was sentenced to three years in state prison. Does anyone have memories of the Willow Avenue area or information about Del Toro’s life that could add context to this case?