On the evening of Monday, February 23, 2026, Edward Joseph Garofalo IV, a 38-year-old man, was fatally shot in Oakley, California. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. in the vicinity of the 3200 block of Dutch Slough Road, near Bethel Island. Garofalo, a resident of Martinez, was pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds.
In the days following the shooting, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. Their efforts led to the arrest of 40-year-old Clayton Dortzbach of Pittsburg on Wednesday of that week. He was taken into custody and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on a murder charge, with his bail set at one million dollars.
Despite the initial arrest and murder charge, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's office did not formally charge Dortzbach in connection with Garofalo's death. Consequently, the suspect was released from custody. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive for the shooting, and further details regarding any other potential suspects or the ongoing investigation have not been made available.
