Travon Holiday, a 33-year-old resident of Hesperia, California, tragically lost his life on October 13, 2018. The incident occurred at an apartment complex located in the 11500 block of Hesperia Road. On that fateful night, deputies responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots at the complex. Upon arrival, they found Travon Holiday wounded outside the apartment building. Another victim, Anthony Gossett, 59, was discovered behind the building, also suffering from gunshot injuries.
Despite efforts to save them, both men succumbed to their injuries.
The investigation quickly identified Leslie "Lee" Wienke, a 50-year-old man from Barstow, as the primary suspect in the double homicide. Wienke was believed to have fatally shot both Holiday and Gossett. The motive behind the shootings was not immediately clear, and authorities did not disclose any specific reasons for the violent act. Wienke became the subject of an intense manhunt as detectives sought to bring him to justice for the brutal killings.
The search for Wienke came to a tragic end on October 18, 2018, when a Nevada Department of Public Safety officer discovered his vehicle parked on the 15 Freeway, approximately 90 miles north of Las Vegas. Inside the vehicle, Wienke was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. This discovery effectively closed the case on the suspect, leaving many questions unanswered about the motive and circumstances leading up to the double homicide.
The deaths of Travon Holiday and Anthony Gossett left the Hesperia community in shock and mourning. The case highlighted the devastating impact of gun violence and the challenges law enforcement faces in swiftly resolving such incidents. While the immediate threat was neutralized with Wienke's death, the community continued to grapple with the loss and the lingering questions surrounding the tragic events of October 13, 2018.
