Luis Tovar

Luis Tovar, a 50-year-old White man, was a beloved father, grandfather, and business owner known for his kindness and strength. An Orange County native, he was so well-liked in high school that he was crowned prom king. As an adult, he founded Unified Homes, a company that helped people buy, sell, and remodel manufactured homes. He was described by his daughter as the "backbone of our entire family" and by his son as a hardworking man who "always put his family first." Tovar built his business from the ground up, and it became a close-knit workplace for his family and longtime employees.

On the evening of March 31, 2021, that family business became the scene of a tragedy. A gunman entered the two-story office building on West Lincoln Avenue in Orange, California, and used bicycle cable locks to secure the gates, trapping everyone inside. He then opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun. The attack claimed the lives of Tovar; his daughter, 28-year-old Genevieve Raygoza; a longtime employee, 58-year-old Leticia Solis Guzman; and 9-year-old Matthew Farias, Genevieve's half-brother. Matthew’s mother, Blanca Tamayo, was critically wounded as she tried to shield her son from the gunfire.

Police arrived within two minutes of the first 911 call but were locked out. They exchanged gunfire with the shooter through the gates, wounding him, before using bolt cutters to force their way into the complex. Inside, they found the victims and the wounded suspect, who was also armed with ammunition, pepper spray, and handcuffs.

The suspect was identified as 44-year-old Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez. The investigation revealed that the shooting was not a random act of violence; authorities stated that Gonzalez knew the victims through personal and business relationships. His estranged wife had previously been an employee at Unified Homes. Gonzalez was charged with four counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder, including for shooting at two police officers. The Orange County District Attorney's office also filed for the special circumstance of multiple murders, making him eligible for the death penalty.

The criminal proceedings against Gonzalez, however, did not move forward. Due to severe brain injuries he sustained during the shootout with police, Gonzalez was left unable to communicate or understand the charges against him. Following evaluations by mental health experts, an Orange County Superior Court judge ruled in November 2021 that Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez was not competent to stand trial. The ruling put the criminal case against him on hold indefinitely as of that date.