Santos Cabrera

In the small Central Valley city of Avenal, California, Santos Cabrera was known as a hardworking family man. At 31, he was a husband to his wife, Mireya, and a devoted father to their three young daughters. He was an entrepreneur who owned a farm labor contracting agency, providing workers for the many agricultural businesses in the region. By all accounts, he was a good man with no known enemies, which made his violent and sudden death a profound shock to his family and the tight-knit community. His murder on a quiet evening in February 2015 was the first homicide the city had seen in more than two years.

On the evening of Thursday, February 5, 2015, Santos finished getting a haircut at a friend's home that also served as a barbershop. Just after 7:00 p.m., he walked out onto the street near the corner of Fifth Avenue and Stanislaus Street, heading for his truck. As he was about to get into his vehicle, he was ambushed. A man wearing a dark-colored hoodie rushed toward him from across the street, fired multiple rounds at close range, and fled. Santos was struck several times and died at the scene. The shooter was seen getting into a small, red sedan that had been parked down the street before speeding away southbound on Fifth Avenue.

The Avenal Police Department, assisted by investigators from the Kings County District Attorney's Office, launched an immediate and intensive investigation. The brazen, hitman-style killing was deeply troubling to detectives. They quickly determined that Santos Cabrera, a man with no criminal record, had no affiliations with gangs or drug activity. The attack was clearly targeted, but the motive was a complete mystery. Then-Assistant Police Chief Rusty Stivers described the case as a "whodunit" and an "unusual" challenge because it lacked the typical characteristics of gang violence common to the area.

Despite interviewing witnesses who were outside on the relatively warm evening and reviewing security footage from the area, investigators struggled to identify a suspect. The description of the shooter was vague, and the getaway car was generic. Within a couple of months, all investigative leads had been exhausted. In April 2015, police announced a $10,000 reward for information. At the time, Santos's widow, Mireya Cabrera, made a heartfelt plea for answers. "He was a great man," she told a reporter. "He was not involved in anything he shouldn't be."

Years passed, but the case grew cold, leaving a family waiting for justice. The Avenal Police Department refused to let the file gather dust. Believing a significant financial incentive might finally persuade someone to come forward, the department requested assistance from the state. In June 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Santos Cabrera's murder.

As of April 2026, the case remains unsolved. Governor Newsom's office reissued the $50,000 reward, renewing the public appeal for help in cracking the cold case and delivering justice for the Cabrera family. The central questions of who targeted Santos Cabrera and why he was so violently executed in the street remain unanswered. Authorities urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact the Avenal Police Department at 559-386-4444.