Rafael Padilla, a 57-year-old Latino, was shot and killed in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, on June 15, 2009. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office reports he was struck multiple times in the 3400 block of East 1st Street. Padilla had been drinking and playing pool at a local bar with 43-year-old Felipe Villarreal; the bartender said the two men went outside to talk after the bar closed at 2 a.m. Around 3 a.m., nearby residents heard gunfire and called 911. Police found both Padilla and Villarreal on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds; both died at the scene.

The LAPD initially considered robbery as a possible motive but made no immediate arrests or clear identifications of suspects. Detectives in the Hollenbeck Division, including Detective Araceli Negrete, handled the investigation and did not rule out gang involvement, though no direct evidence tied the killings to gangs. The case remained open as detectives sought witnesses or new leads.

Did anyone in Boyle Heights see Padilla or Villarreal that morning, or does anyone have information that could help investigators?