Francisco Javier Salazar Jr., a 15-year-old Latino, was tragically found dead on February 17, 2016, in Compton, California. His body was discovered in the front passenger seat of a 1993 grey Nissan Sentra parked in a long driveway on the 2100 block of North Long Beach Boulevard. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported that Salazar had suffered a gunshot wound to the neck.
The area where his body was found is a commercial zone, surrounded by boarded-up businesses and a few small shops. Despite the presence of broken glass around the car, investigators were uncertain whether Salazar was shot from inside or outside the vehicle. No one in the vicinity reported hearing gunshots, leading authorities to believe he was shot within 24 hours of being found.
Salazar lived with his mother in Lynwood, less than two miles from where he was killed. He was a middle school student in the Lynwood Unified School District, although the specific school he attended was not disclosed. The school community expressed their grief over his death, with the district providing grief counseling for students and staff. Salazar's family had filed a missing person report the same morning investigators were working to identify his body.
As of the latest available information, the motive for Salazar's killing remains unknown, and no suspects have been identified. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau continues to investigate the case, urging anyone with information to come forward. Despite the ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made, and the case remains unsolved. The community and Salazar's family continue to seek justice for the young boy's untimely death.
