Maximiliano Bernal, 22, of Arcadia was killed on February 23, 2016; his body was found two days later at mile marker 7.98 of Sand Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. He had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

David Aldana, 21 at the time and a childhood friend from Newhall, confessed to the shooting, led investigators to where the body was dumped, and turned himself in at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office in San Ysidro on February 24, 2016. Aldana was charged with willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder with an allegation of using a handgun, held on $3 million bail and faced a potential sentence of 50 years to life if convicted. His arraignment was scheduled for March 21, 2016, in the San Fernando Branch of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The motive is unclear; Aldana did not cooperate beyond his confession and pointing out the location. Did anyone in the Newhall community have information about Bernal and Aldana’s relationship that could shed light on what led to this killing?