On the early morning of November 1, 2025, Juan Loaiza, a 32-year-old man from Ceres, California, was shot while at a Halloween party on the 100 block of A Street in Empire. Deputies from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office arrived about 12:27 a.m. and found two adult men with gunshot wounds; both were taken to hospital, where Juan later died and the second victim remained in critical condition. A third wounded person went to another hospital by private vehicle and was expected to recover.

Juan was born in Modesto on September 11, 1993, the youngest child of Manuel and Michelle Loaiza. He worked as a fire proofer with Union Local 300 and was a father to daughter Reanna and son Juan A. Loaiza Jr. Family and friends remembered him for his hardworking nature, warm hugs, and devotion to his children. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit took over the investigation after deputies could not locate suspects that night; authorities said those responsible remained at large.

Memorial services were held in mid-November, including visitation at Franklin & Downs Funeral Home’s McHenry Chapel, a funeral Mass at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Ceres, and a graveside ceremony at Ceres Memorial Park. Does anyone who attended the party or was in the neighborhood that night have information that could help investigators?