Christopher Butler, 46, was found with a gunshot wound along the railroad tracks north of Swain Road in Stockton in the late afternoon of May 30, 2026. Officers were notified around 6 p.m.; Butler was taken to a hospital but died of his injuries. He was described by friends and advocates as a kind and gentle soul who was part of the city’s homeless community, and his death deeply affected that community.

The Stockton Police Department opened a homicide investigation and identified 38-year-old Andres Lepe as a suspect. A few days after the shooting, on a Thursday, Lepe was located in North Stockton, arrested without incident and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on a homicide charge. He was also reported to be facing an animal cruelty charge after a dog was found injured at the scene. No motive has been publicly disclosed; the investigation and initial court proceedings are ongoing.

If anyone knew Christopher, saw activity near the tracks north of Swain Road on May 30, or has information about the shooting or the injured dog, please come forward to the Stockton Police Department.