Jose Novoa Vargas was 17 and from Stockton, California, when he was found with fatal injuries on January 26, 2015. The San Joaquin County Coroner’s Office identified him as Jose Novoa; friends and teachers knew him as Jose Vargas. Stockton Police classified the death as a homicide and opened an investigation into the circumstances of the violence that ended his life.

Investigators made several arrests and charged individuals in connection with the murder, and the community responded with vigils and memorials as family, peers, and educators mourned. The case became a focal point for concerns about violence in Stockton and efforts to hold those responsible to account.

Were there details about Jose’s last day or anyone who saw him in the hours before his death that could help the investigation?