David Cantero Valdez, 17, of Tracy, California, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside a vehicle on Sugar Road between Tracy Boulevard and Holly Drive on January 12, 2024. Officers responding to reports of a vehicle collision around 6:30 p.m. discovered the car had been shot several times. Valdez, a student at Merrill F. West High School, was taken to a local hospital and died of his injuries.

Detectives from the Tracy Police Department’s General Investigations Unit took over the case. On January 19, 2024, the department’s Crisis Response Unit and specialized teams executed a search and arrest warrant at a residence in the 1600 block of Court Drive in Tracy. That operation resulted in the arrest of 27-year-old Victor Vera, who was charged with murder and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail. Authorities described the shooting as an isolated incident and said there was no ongoing threat to the community.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Corporal Ken Steele at [email protected] or (209) 831-6660. If anyone knew David or has relevant information about the events that night, please come forward.