Jose Tarin, a 25-year-old resident of Atwater, California, was found dead on the shoulder of the road near Avenue One and Gurr Road. Deputies from the Merced County Sheriff’s Office discovered his body on June 22, 2017, after the death—reported as suspicious—occurred the previous day, June 21, 2017. Investigators determined Tarin’s death was a homicide.

The case was treated as a cold case after initial investigative efforts failed to identify suspects or produce arrests. Detectives have periodically revisited the investigation and continued to follow up on any new leads, and the Sheriff’s Office has urged the community to provide information that might aid the inquiry.

Anyone who knew Jose or who has information about the area or events around June 21–22, 2017, is asked to contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.