Daniel Dawson, 23, of Hanford was fatally shot on the night of February 6, 2025, in a parking lot near the In-N-Out on 12th Avenue and Centennial Drive. Hanford police found Dawson outside a vehicle and already deceased; another man was shot and taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Authorities identified 27-year-old Rafael Estrada as the suspect after reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements. Police tracked Estrada to an apartment complex in Goshen the next day and arrested him; he was booked into the Kings County Jail on murder and attempted murder charges. Investigators say they are still determining motive but suspect an illegal drug transaction may have been involved.

Dawson’s family described him as bright and family-oriented; he was the father of a three-month-old daughter and the youngest son of a mother who had previously lost an eldest son in Afghanistan in 2010. This was Hanford’s first homicide of 2025. Does anyone have information about the shooting or knew Daniel that could help the investigation?