Anthony DeLaTorre, 20, of Coachella was fatally shot just after 2:30 a.m. on March 29, 2015, in the 83-300 block of Mariana Avenue. He graduated from Coachella Valley High School in 2014 and hoped to join the U.S. Marines with his younger brother. Family remembered him as respectful, caring and protective of his siblings, with big hopes for the future.

The shooting occurred amid a rise in violent crime in Coachella that authorities linked in part to gang activity, although Anthony was not involved with any gangs. His grandmother, Nellie DeLaTorre, and other relatives pushed city leaders for increased police presence and met with the Mayor and Assistant Police Chief as they advocated for community safety. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, which serves Coachella, cited budget limits that constrained staffing.

No arrests have been announced and the investigation remains open. If anyone has information about that night or Anthony’s death, please come forward to help his family and the ongoing inquiry?