In the predawn hours of April 27, 2026, the life of 26-year-old Gustavo Angel Santiago-Espinoza was tragically cut short in a parking lot on White Horse Road in Greenville, South Carolina. A Hispanic male, Santiago-Espinoza was found by Greenville County Sheriff's deputies who were responding to a 911 call about a gunshot victim shortly before 2 a.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered him with at least one gunshot wound.
Emergency medical services were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a confrontation captured on surveillance video. The footage showed two men walking into the middle of the parking lot and meeting with two other individuals. An argument appeared to break out between two of the men, one of whom was armed with what looked like a shotgun and the other with what appeared to be a handgun. Following the confrontation, three people were seen fleeing the area. The Greenville County Coroner's Office later ruled Santiago-Espinoza's death a homicide. The incident left the local Hispanic community in the Berea area feeling unsettled and concerned for their safety.
In a significant development, authorities identified a suspect in the fatal shooting. Gerald Lopez Aguirre, 32, was taken into custody in Doraville, Georgia. The Greenville County Sheriff's Office announced that Aguirre has been charged with murder in connection with Santiago-Espinoza's death. Investigators believe that Aguirre shot the victim after a verbal altercation. He is currently awaiting extradition back to Greenville County to face the charges against him.
