Oswaldo Fuentes

Oswaldo Fuentes, a 21-year-old Hispanic man from Fairfield, California, was remembered by those who knew him as a nice person with a constant smile and a positive attitude. A father of two, he was described as being like a big brother to some. His life was cut short in the early hours of Saturday, March 11, 2017, in a shooting that unfolded in San Francisco’s historic North Beach neighborhood.

At approximately 1:35 a.m., officers from the San Francisco Police Department responded to reports of gunfire on the 500 block of Green Street, near the intersection with Grant Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered Oswaldo lying in the street, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics with the San Francisco Fire Department provided emergency medical aid at the scene. Oswaldo was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The SFPD Homicide Detail launched an investigation into the killing. For two months, detectives worked to identify those responsible. On May 9, 2017, the investigation led to the first series of arrests. SFPD Narcotics Investigators located and arrested Juan Lopez-Palacios, a 27-year-old from Hayward. That same day, two more suspects were taken into custody: Dean Mareta, 26, of San Francisco, and Vidal Sandoval, a 39-year-old resident of Oakland. All three men were charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with Oswaldo's death and were booked into the San Francisco County Jail.

The investigation did not end there. Homicide investigators continued to pursue leads for another two years. On Thursday, May 9, 2019, exactly two years after the first arrests, the SFPD announced two more suspects were in custody. Carlos Valiente, a 26-year-old from Richmond, and Anthony Molina, 31, of Benicia, were arrested on suspicion of killing Oswaldo Fuentes. They were also booked into the San Francisco County Jail, each held on a reported $1 million bail.

The motive for the shooting was not publicly disclosed by authorities. The arrests of five individuals from different cities across the Bay Area suggested a complex investigation spanning multiple jurisdictions. Following the 2019 arrests, the case moved into the court system, though further details on the specific legal proceedings and outcomes for each of the five charged men have not been widely reported.

In the wake of his death, a fundraising page was created to help Oswaldo's family navigate their sudden and tragic loss. The community of people who knew and loved him mourned a young man taken far too soon.

Although multiple arrests were made, the San Francisco Police Department continued to encourage anyone with information to come forward, indicating the investigation remained active. As of May 2019, the case was proceeding through the legal system. Anyone with information about the homicide of Oswaldo Fuentes is asked to contact the SFPD anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to text a tip to TIP411, starting the message with "SFPD."