Darwin Devon Derosans, a 50-year-old resident of Stockton, California, tragically lost his life on December 23, 2019. Known affectionately as "Pooke" by his friends and family, Derosans was shot and killed near the Captain's Anchor Bar on Thornton Road in North Stockton. The incident occurred when Derosans, after spending time at the bar, encountered 36-year-old Robert Gonzalez. Gonzalez followed Derosans to the parking lot, where he pulled out a gun and fatally shot him.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, leaving Derosans' family and friends grappling with unanswered questions about the senseless act of violence.
Following the incident, Robert Gonzalez fled to Mexico, evading capture for over a year. However, with the assistance of the US Marshals Taskforce, Gonzalez was eventually apprehended and brought back to the United States. He was arrested on New Year's Eve and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on homicide charges. The arrest provided a semblance of relief to Derosans' family, who had been enduring the pain of their loss while hoping for justice to be served.
The legal proceedings against Gonzalez culminated in a trial that lasted nearly three weeks. During the trial, Darwin Derosans' father, Darwin Derosans Sr., attended several sessions, listening to the painful details of his son's death. The trial concluded with Gonzalez being convicted of the murder and sentenced to forty years to life in prison. This verdict brought some measure of closure to Derosans' family, although the emotional scars and the void left by his absence remain deeply felt.
Derosans' family described him as a generous and caring individual who often held barbecues for his neighbors and opened his doors to children in need. His mother, Leora Luckett, continues to struggle with the loss, finding it difficult to move on from the tragedy. The community of Stockton, which has been plagued by gun violence, mourned the loss of a beloved member and reflected on the broader issue of safety and violence in their city.
