Manuel Garibay was 36 when he was found dead in Long Beach, California, on January 31, 1996. Authorities concluded he had been fatally shot and treated the death as a homicide; investigators considered motives including a personal vendetta and gang-related activity.

Police identified and questioned several people during the inquiry. One man, named in the records as Manuel Anthony Garibay, was later convicted of first-degree murder in connection with this shooting. Court documents state the killing was gang-related and involved a firearm; the convicted man received a sentence of 50 years to life with enhancements for firearm use and gang affiliation. Appeals addressing the firearm enhancement were filed, but the original sentence was upheld.