Leticia Solis Guzman, a 58-year-old Hispanic woman, was a dedicated real estate agent and a devoted single mother to four children. A native of Mexico who grew up in Orange County, she was known for her ambition, hard work, and relentless positivity. Her children remembered her as a selfless parent who taught them to always be there for each other. Friends called her Letty, and she loved to dance, was always fashionable, and cherished family movie nights. On the morning of her death, she posted on Facebook, "How time flies, but thank God, with health and work."
On the afternoon of March 31, 2021, a gunman entered the Unified Homes office building in Orange, California, where Leticia worked. The man used bicycle-style cable locks to secure the gates to the courtyard from the inside before opening fire with a semi-automatic handgun.
Leticia was killed in the attack, along with the company's owner, Luis Tovar, 50; his daughter, Jenevieve Raygoza, 28; and Jenevieve's 9-year-old half-brother, Matthew Farias. A fifth person, Matthew's mother, Blanca Tamayo, was critically wounded but survived.
Police arrived at the scene within two minutes of the first 911 call but found the gates locked. They exchanged gunfire with the suspect through the gates before using bolt-cutters to gain entry. Inside the courtyard, officers found the gunman injured and took him into custody. He was identified as 44-year-old Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez. Investigators determined the shooting was not a random act of violence, as Gonzalez had personal and business relationships with the adult victims.
Gonzalez was charged with four counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders. The attempted murder charges included one for the surviving victim and two for firing at police officers. However, his arraignment was postponed multiple times as he remained hospitalized for injuries sustained during the shootout.
His attorneys repeatedly expressed concerns that he was not lucid enough to understand the legal proceedings. After evaluations by court-appointed mental health experts, an Orange County Superior Court judge ruled Gonzalez incompetent to stand trial in November 2021. The judge determined that a head injury from the shootout had left him unable to communicate with his lawyers or comprehend the case against him. This ruling paused the criminal proceedings, which was where the case stood as of November 2021.
