Cynthia Claros, 38, was fatally shot on February 1, 2022, in Atwater, California. Officers responding to reports of gunfire around 10:15 PM found Claros and a man inside a silver sedan near Belmont Park Apartments at Secretariat Way and Belmont Avenue. Claros had been shot and did not survive; the man in the vehicle was uninjured and cooperated with police. Investigators determined the shooting occurred about half a block north of where the car was located.

Police identified a person and vehicle of interest early in the probe: Fernando Perez, believed to be driving a light-colored or white BMW or Mercedes sedan with front-end damage. Authorities said Perez and Claros were known to one another, though the nature of their relationship was not clear at the time. Perez was later arrested in San Joaquin County and faced charges related to the homicide as the investigation continued.

What details about the night or the relationship between Claros and Perez might help explain why this shooting happened?