Jose Rosario Barrera-Leon was 29 when he was found dead in his car on the night of May 10, 2015, in a residential area of Oxnard, California. Born July 5, 1985, in Ventura and raised in Oxnard, he graduated from Oxnard High School and earned an architecture degree from ITT Technical Institute. Family and friends remembered him for his humor, intelligence and deep love for family.

The Oxnard Police Department treated the death as a homicide after officers determined Jose had been shot multiple times. Detectives conducted interviews and gathered evidence; investigators identified persons of interest and made a couple of arrests, but those individuals were released when evidence proved insufficient and no charges were filed. The family held vigils and community events seeking answers.

The case remains unsolved. If anyone has information about Jose’s murder, please contact the Oxnard Police Department.