Jasper Lonnie Percy Gray, aged 38, tragically lost his life on September 19, 2021, in Hilmar, California. Jasper was born on January 16, 1983, in Turlock, California, and was the youngest of four children. He spent his early years in Vacaville before his family moved to Delhi, where he graduated from Shattuck High School. Jasper's death has left a profound impact on his family and the close-knit community of Hilmar.
On the evening of September 19, 2021, Jasper Gray was at the Hot Rod
Diner in Hilmar, a popular local establishment. The diner was bustling with patrons watching football and enjoying their meals when an argument broke out between Jasper and another individual, Dominick Jeffery Rufo. The altercation escalated, resulting in Jasper being fatally shot. Merced County Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene around 7 p.m. and found Jasper deceased from a gunshot wound. The incident shocked the community, as such violent occurrences are rare in the small town of Hilmar.
Following the shooting, a homicide investigation was launched. Authorities identified 29-year-old Dominick Jeffery Rufo as a person of interest in the case. Further investigation revealed that Rufo, along with 32-year-old Brandy Bettencourt, had fled to Baja California, Mexico. The Merced County Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Taskforce and the U.S. Marshals Mexico Investigative Liaison Team, worked diligently to locate and apprehend the suspects. After a three-month-long investigation, Rufo and Bettencourt were arrested in Mexico and extradited to Merced County to face charges of homicide.
The arrests of Rufo and Bettencourt brought some measure of closure to Jasper's family and the community. The legal proceedings against the suspects are ongoing, with both facing serious charges related to the murder of Jasper Gray. The case has highlighted the importance of community vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement in bringing justice to victims of violent crimes. Jasper's untimely death serves as a somber reminder of the fragility of life and the devastating impact of violence on families and communities.
