In the late hours of February 13, 2022, a dispute that began inside a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona, tragically ended the life of 27-year-old Alejandro Saldano Hernandez. The young Hispanic man and his friends became involved in a disagreement with another group, which included 35-year-old Jose Ivan Chavez Garcia.
The argument spilled out into the parking lot near University Drive and Center Street, where it quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
In the midst of the fistfight between the two groups, Garcia walked to his 2011 Chevrolet Silverado, retrieved a handgun, and shot Hernandez multiple times. First responders found Hernandez lying in the parking lot and transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Following the shooting, Jose Ivan Chavez Garcia fled the scene in his vehicle. Investigators later found the abandoned Chevrolet Silverado near Gilbert and Broadway roads. Through witness interviews and gathering evidence, detectives were able to identify Garcia as the suspect. On March 1, 2022, a search warrant was served at Garcia's home in Mesa, where he was taken into custody. During questioning, Garcia admitted to his involvement in the shooting, stating that it was the result of the argument between his friends and the victim. He was subsequently arrested and booked into jail on a charge of first-degree murder.
