Samuel Isaac ’Sam’ Ferguson, 27, was driving home on westbound 91 Freeway near the Artesia Boulevard exit in Gardena on the afternoon of August 17, 2018, when another vehicle opened fire. His white Nissan Sentra was struck by multiple bullets; CHP officers found him critically wounded behind the wheel. He was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center and pronounced dead about an hour later after a gunshot passed through his chest and caused catastrophic injuries to his heart, aorta and lungs.

Ferguson lived in Cerritos, studied speech pathology at Cerritos College and worked with children with developmental disabilities. Family described him as outgoing and well-liked; he was the youngest of nine siblings and had been living with his oldest brother. Authorities initially had no suspect, vehicle description or motive but later linked his killing to a series of shootings in South Los Angeles and Inglewood.

Police arrested Daniel Martinez, then 30, in connection with several of the shootings; prosecutors added Ferguson’s death to the charges and alleged the attacks were racially motivated. Martinez pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail pending trial. Does anyone have information about Ferguson’s last drive or the vehicle involved that could help investigators?