On June 25, 2023, 19-year-old Liliana Lili Zaragoza was fatally shot during a party at a residence on Sunset Drive near Washington Boulevard in Livingston, California. Deputies from the Merced County Sheriff’s Office found Zaragoza deceased at the scene; a female juvenile was also critically wounded and airlifted to a local hospital.

Lili had just graduated from Livingston High School and completed a phlebotomy certification at Merced College. She planned to continue studying radiology and pursue a medical career. Her mother, Aracely Meza, said Lili was focused on family and school and seldom attended parties. Lili’s death came shortly after she had helped raise funds to lay her father to rest, deepening the family’s grief.

On June 28, 2023, 22-year-old Josiah Lawrence Williams was arrested and booked on a murder charge with bail set at $1 million. The motive remains unclear, and authorities asked anyone with information to come forward. Did anyone at the party or in the neighborhood see or hear anything that night?