On the night of August 30, 2022, Ulises Avilez, a 34-year-old resident of Lost Hills, California, was tragically shot and killed. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. in the 14000 block of Lamberson Avenue. When deputies from the Kern County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene, they found Avilez with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man, Gerardo Junior Gonzalez, was also found with gunshot wounds and was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. Gonzalez later succumbed to his injuries a month after the shooting.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was the result of a confrontation between Avilez, Gonzalez, and the suspect, Marco Antonio Aldaco Jr. Aldaco, a 30-year-old convicted felon, was arrested the following morning in Wasco. He was charged with homicide, attempted homicide, and various weapons violations. According to reports, Aldaco used an unregistered "ghost gun" to shoot both men. He claimed he believed the men were armed when they confronted him, although no weapons were found on either Avilez or Gonzalez.
Further details emerged during the investigation, indicating that the confrontation may have been in retaliation for an earlier assault by Aldaco on Gonzalez's uncle. Aldaco's pregnant girlfriend, who was present at the scene, reported that Avilez threatened her and her daughter before the shooting occurred. She also mentioned that Avilez's behavior made her suspect he was hiding a weapon, although she did not see him with one. The investigation found 27 spent casings at the scene, highlighting the intensity of the altercation.
Aldaco faced multiple charges, including second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for February 7, 2023. The case drew significant attention due to the violent nature of the crime and the use of an unregistered firearm, raising concerns about gun violence and illegal firearms in the community.
