On the morning of November 7, 2023, Fresno police and fire personnel found 28-year-old Daniel Saul Payan lying face down in a parking lot on the 4200 block of East Fountain Way, near Cedar and Shields Avenues. Payan, described as a member of the unhoused community, had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.

Investigators say Payan had been involved in a disturbance with an unknown individual in the parking lot before the shooting. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage and interviewed witnesses, identifying 31-year-old J’Tericka Hall as the primary suspect. A search warrant executed at Hall’s residence on November 10, 2023, led to her arrest; she was charged with murder and booked into Fresno County Jail. Authorities have not disclosed a motive or any prior relationship between Hall and Payan, and detectives continue to seek additional information.

Community members have raised concerns about the safety of unhoused residents following Payan’s death, and advocates are calling for more support and resources. If anyone has information about the shooting, please contact the Fresno Police Department at (559) 621-7000 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP.