Fifteen-year-old Mario Fertini III was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds near Bear Creek and Brookside Drives in Merced, California, on September 9, 2024. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots around 2 a.m., and Mario’s body was discovered at approximately 6 a.m. He and his mother had moved to Merced about nine months earlier, and family members remember him as a joyful, loving teen who had just started his freshman year of high school.

Merced police have identified 27-year-old John Flores as a suspect in Mario’s killing. Investigators say Flores is a known gang member and was under Post Release Community Supervision in Merced County. Authorities believe Flores did not act alone and are seeking information to identify a second suspect. Witnesses described a white, four-door vehicle with a sunroof that may be linked to the incident.

Anyone with information that could help identify the second suspect or shed light on what happened that night is asked to contact the Merced Police Department.