On October 5, 2024, at about 7:30 p.m., 43-year-old James Bailey was fatally shot outside the Walmart at 859 W. Florida Avenue in Hemet, California. Officers responding to multiple reports of gunfire found Bailey suffering from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Hemet Police Department’s Investigations Bureau opened a comprehensive probe and identified 46-year-old Ernie Miranda as the primary suspect.

On October 7, 2024, the Riverside County Gang Impact Team arrested Miranda in Cabazon, California. He was transported to the Hemet Police Department and then booked at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on homicide charges, held on $1,000,000 bail. Bailey had been at the neighborhood Walmart to pick up groceries for dinner. His wife, Roschelle Bailey, said he was a devoted husband and father, including to twins with autism. A family GoFundMe was started to help with funeral and financial needs. Authorities ask anyone with information to contact Detective Thomas Spellacy or submit anonymous tips through the department app.

Does anyone have information about what happened that evening or saw activity near the Walmart around 7:30 p.m. on October 5?