Derick Mitchell, 37, of Bakersfield, California, was shot and killed at his home on Cinnabar Court on the evening of June 25, 2014. Known by family and friends for a vibrant personality and interests that included hunting, SCUBA diving and work with Talladega Frights, he was a husband and father whose sudden death left a large void for those who knew him.

Initial reports suggested the shooting might have been accidental, but investigators later reported that Mitchell’s 17-year-old stepson, Cody Patrick Ryan, admitted to retrieving a gun from Mitchell’s dresser and shooting him in the chest after a disciplinary discussion about school grades. Mitchell’s wife heard the gunshot, found him injured and emergency efforts were unsuccessful.

Cody Patrick Ryan was arrested and charged with first-degree murder; he pleaded not guilty and was being held without bail in juvenile hall. Does anyone have information about Mitchell’s life in Bakersfield or the events leading up to that night?