On June 30, 2024, at about 2:55 a.m., 23-year-old Oxnard resident Anthony Leyva was fatally shot in the 1000 block of East Collins Street in the unincorporated community of El Rio, California. Deputies found Leyva with a gunshot wound; he was taken to a local hospital but died of his injuries. Witness accounts and the investigation indicate Leyva had been with two acquaintances: 29-year-old El Rio resident Alexis Bustillos and a 23-year-old man from Ventura. The three became involved in a physical altercation during the early morning; Bustillos allegedly brandished a firearm, pointed it at both men and then discharged the weapon, striking Leyva.

Bustillos was arrested on charges including assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and unlawful transfer of a firearm. On July 2, 2024, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office filed an additional murder charge. Bustillos is in custody at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility with bail set at $1,000,000. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau is continuing the investigation. If anyone has information, please contact Detective Nicole Grover at 805-384-4722 or Detective Christopher Vorzimer at 805-384-4731.