Mario Antonio "Tony" Bullard, aged 35, tragically lost his life on May 21, 2019, in San Diego, California. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 2:52 a.m., when San Diego Police Officers responded to reports of gunshots in the 6200 block of Holabird Street in the Grantville area. Upon arrival, officers found Bullard lying in the street, suffering from at least one apparent gunshot wound.
Despite the prompt response from San Diego Fire-Rescue, Bullard succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Bullard's death revealed that the suspect was a light-skinned male, approximately 5'6" tall, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a white logo on the front, black pants, and carrying a backpack. The suspect was last seen running westbound on Vandever Avenue towards Mission Gorge Road. Despite extensive efforts by the San Diego Police Department's Homicide Unit and the offer of a $1,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's identification and arrest, the case remained unsolved for some time.
In a significant development, more than two years after the incident, Richard Lamont Cowan, aged 40, was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder and three counts of assault with a firearm. Cowan was identified as the alleged perpetrator in Bullard's slaying and was also linked to three other non-fatal shootings in the Grantville area. The arrest marked a crucial step in the investigation, although the motives behind the shootings were not disclosed by the police.
The community and Bullard's family continue to mourn his loss, and the case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to bring justice to the victims of violent crimes. The San Diego Police Department continues to seek information from the public to aid in their investigations and ensure that those responsible for such heinous acts are held accountable.
