On April 28, 2024, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Fresno police responded to a shooting incident at a residence on East Pryor Drive in northeast Fresno. Upon arrival, officers were informed by the homeowner's wife that her husband had shot someone in their backyard. Inside the home, police found 31-year-old Christian Lavin intoxicated on a couch and detained him. A Glock handgun registered to Lavin was discovered on a kitchen countertop.
In the backyard, near a sliding glass door, officers located 30-year-old Roberto Roman with a single gunshot wound to his upper torso; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigations revealed that Roman and Lavin were friends who had been drinking and wrestling in the backyard prior to the shooting. Home surveillance footage captured the entire incident, showing that at some point during their interaction, Lavin retrieved his firearm and, for reasons still unclear, shot Roman. Lavin was subsequently arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of murder.
Following his arrest, Lavin appeared in court on May 16, 2024, where he pleaded not guilty to the felony murder charge. He was scheduled to return to court on July 11, 2024, for further proceedings.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Roberto Roman's wife, Jasmine, spoke out about her loss, describing her husband as "the best father" and expressing the profound impact his death has had on their family.
