In the early morning hours of a Sunday in June 2019, Oscar Mateo, a native of Guatemala, was fatally shot in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The incident, which also claimed the life of another man, Santos Lopez, took place just after 7 a.m. at a residence in the 4900 block of Central Drive. When DeKalb County police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered both men lying face-down.
One was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a local hospital. Investigators found shell casings on a car parked at the location and blood on the ground.
At the time of his death, Mateo was a beloved cook at Noodle Decatur, a restaurant where he had been employed for nine years. His colleagues remembered him as a genuinely nice guy with a constant smile who was loved by everyone. The general manager of the restaurant described him as the 'heart' of the establishment, noting that while customers may not have seen his face, they tasted the love and care he put into every dish. He was particularly known for his exceptional fried rice.
The shooting left his coworkers shaken and saddened. Mateo was the father of five children and a wife who resided in Guatemala, whom he supported financially. In the wake of his death, his colleagues set up a GoFundMe page to assist his family.
The police investigation into the double homicide is ongoing. Although two men were initially detained by police in the vicinity of the shooting, they were subsequently released. As of the latest available reports, no arrests have been made in connection with the deaths of Oscar Mateo and Santos Lopez, and authorities have not publicly identified any suspects.
