On March 3, 2021, 39-year-old Alberto Vargas of Hesperia, California, was found unresponsive on Live Oak Street after reports of gunshots. San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies discovered Vargas lying in the roadway; medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. The initial investigation determined he had been shot, and homicide detectives took over the case.

Investigators quickly identified 25-year-old Alexander Luna, also of Hesperia, as the primary suspect. The two men were walking together on Live Oak Street when, for reasons that remain unclear, Luna allegedly shot Vargas and attempted to flee. Deputies from the Hesperia Gang Team detained Luna and he was booked at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto on murder charges and held without bail; initial reports noted no formal case had yet been filed in court records.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Gerad Laing in the Specialized Investigations Division – Homicide Detail or submit anonymous tips through WeTip. Did anyone in Hesperia see or hear anything on Live Oak Street that day?