On the night of May 13, 2024, 27-year-old Jorge Cortes-Bejar was fatally shot while working at the Rivermaid Trading Company, a fruit-packing facility located on East Pine Street in Lodi, California. Deputies from the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of gunfire around 10 p.m. and found Cortes-Bejar with multiple gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The subsequent investigation identified 41-year-old Gabriel Hernandez as the primary suspect in the shooting. On the night following the incident, officers from the Manteca Police Department spotted a vehicle associated with Hernandez near Louise Avenue and Airport Road in Manteca. After a brief pursuit, during which Hernandez attempted to flee on foot, he was apprehended with assistance from the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office helicopter unit. A firearm was recovered during the arrest, though authorities did not confirm if it was the weapon used in the homicide.
Hernandez was subsequently booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on charges including murder, felony possession of a firearm, and violating a prohibition against street gang members owning or possessing ammunition. As of the latest reports, the motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, and it has not been disclosed whether Hernandez and Cortes-Bejar were acquainted. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office has characterized the incident as isolated, indicating no ongoing threat to the community.
Rivermaid Trading Company, known for packing cherries and pears at its Lodi facility, has expressed its commitment to employee safety and is cooperating fully with law enforcement during the investigation. An attorney representing the company stated that, due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further details could be provided at this time.
The tragic death of Jorge Cortes-Bejar has left the local community in shock, with residents and business owners in the typically quiet area expressing their condolences and concerns over the rare occurrence of such violence in their neighborhood.
