On December 4, 2021, in Imperial Beach, California, 35-year-old Marco "Tony" Valadez Jr. was fatally shot alongside his mother, 55-year-old Raquel Pitsenberger. Sheriff's deputies responding to a 911 call at a residence on Fern Avenue discovered Pitsenberger deceased at the scene, while Tony Valadez was transported to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation identified Tony's half-brother, 47-year-old Marco "Marky" Antonio Valadez Jr., as the primary suspect. Authorities alleged that Marky Valadez committed the murders to silence family members who were potential witnesses to a sexual assault he allegedly perpetrated against an 18-year-old family member two days prior.
Following the incident, Marky Valadez fled to Mexico. On December 16, 2021, he was apprehended by Mexican authorities in collaboration with the San Diego Regional Fugitive Task Force and extradited to the United States. He was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder and additional sexual assault charges.
In September 2024, Marky Valadez pleaded guilty to the murders of his stepmother and half-brother. He admitted to the special circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders, which can result in a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. In November 2024, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
