Besun Yu, a 56-year-old grocer from Stockton, California, was tragically killed on November 7, 1997, during a violent crime spree that shook the local community. Yu, who was of Chinese descent, was fatally shot alongside his friend, Jun Gao, 46, during a robbery at Village Oaks Market, a grocery store he owned in North Stockton. The attack was part of a series of murders committed by a former tow-truck driver, Louis James Peoples, who had recently been suspended from his job.
Peoples, 35
at the time, had been dismissed from Charter Way Tow after failing a drug test. His crime spree began in late October 1997 and lasted for approximately two weeks. Authorities linked him to multiple killings, including the October 29 murder of fellow tow-truck driver James Loper, 29, who was lured to a remote location and shot multiple times. On November 4, Peoples killed Stephen Chacko, 39, a co-owner of MFL Liquor and Tobacco, during a robbery. Just days later, he entered Yu's grocery store and fatally shot both Yu and Gao.
Investigators quickly focused on Peoples after witness descriptions matched his vehicle to those seen at the crime scenes. Upon his arrest, Peoples led authorities to a muddy field where they recovered a. 40-caliber handgun believed to have been used in the killings. Additionally, detectives discovered a map in his apartment marked with multiple locations, suggesting he had planned further attacks. The map included convenience stores, a liquor store, a strip mall, and other commercial areas.
Peoples was charged with four counts of murder and one count of bank robbery. His arrest and subsequent conviction brought an end to his violent rampage, which had terrorized Stockton residents. Years later, Peoples was sentenced to death for his crimes and remained on death row until his own death in 2021. His case remains one of the most notorious crime sprees in Stockton's history.
