On October 16, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Lodi Police Department officers responded to reports of gunfire at a residence on South Central Avenue near Poplar Street in Lodi, California. Upon arrival, they discovered two men with gunshot wounds inside the home. One victim, 36-year-old Silverio Cazares Gayosso, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other, 49-year-old Fernando Rodriguez, was transported to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Oscar Hernandez, fled the scene before police arrived. Investigators determined that Hernandez and the victims were acquainted, suggesting the attack was targeted. Authorities emphasized that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
In the days following the incident, the Lodi Police Department collaborated with the U.S. Marshals Service to locate Hernandez. On October 18, 2023, he was apprehended without incident near St. Louis, Missouri. Hernandez was taken into custody and awaited extradition to California to face charges related to the double homicide.
Witnesses reported that prior to the shooting, Gayosso and Rodriguez had been invited to the residence for dinner. A minor present in the home alleged that the two men made inappropriate comments toward her, which may have precipitated the violent confrontation. These details remain under investigation as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to the tragedy.
The deaths of Fernando Rodriguez and Silverio Cazares Gayosso have deeply affected the Lodi community. As the legal process unfolds, residents hope for justice and seek to understand the circumstances that led to this devastating loss.
