Elyse Marie Erwin, 28, of Santa Maria, California, was found dead on the morning of April 16, 2017, near Waller Park. Deputies discovered her after a report of a woman lying in the area; investigators concluded foul play was involved. Elyse had been shot in the back of the head with a short-barreled rifle as she was getting out of her car.

Elyse worked as a catering coordinator at Monarch Dunes Golf Course in Nipomo and was remembered as a devoted mother to her six-year-old daughter and a close friend and colleague. The investigation quickly identified her ex-boyfriend, Jorge Tovar Fernandez, 26, of Lompoc, as the primary suspect; he had a history of stalking her after their relationship ended. Fernandez was arrested on April 19, 2017, after attending a child custody hearing at the Santa Barbara County Superior Courthouse in Santa Maria and was charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances including lying in wait and discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury.

Anyone who knew Elyse, her routines, or who has information about her death is asked to come forward.