On a cold Tuesday afternoon in Ontario, Oregon, the life of 40-year-old Hispanic/Latino male, Daniel Mendoza Olvera, was tragically cut short on January 16, 2024. The incident unfolded at a transient camp known as "The Flats," located at 1187 NW 22nd Ave. At approximately 3:40 p.m., the Malheur County Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting the sound of gunshots in the area. A Malheur County Sheriff's Deputy was dispatched to the scene, arriving within minutes to a grim discovery.
The deputy found Daniel Mendoza Olvera with what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical services were called to the scene and arrived shortly after, but Olvera's injuries were too severe, and he succumbed to them at the encampment he called home. The Malheur County Major Crimes Team, a collaborative effort of the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, the High Desert Drug Task Force, Ontario Police, and the Oregon State Police, was activated to lead the homicide investigation. Initially, law enforcement officials noted a lack of cooperation from the transient community, which hampered the early stages of their investigation. A reward of $2,500 was offered for information leading to an arrest, as authorities sought to identify a vehicle with multiple occupants that was seen leaving the area after the shooting.
The investigation pressed on, and within a couple of weeks, there was a breakthrough in the case. On January 31, 2024, authorities made their first arrest, taking 42-year-old Anthony Paul Peovich of Ontario into custody. Peovich was charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence, suggesting he was not the primary perpetrator but had a role in the events following the fatal shooting. The next day, on February 1, 2024, the investigation led to a second arrest. Kristian Ramirez, a 30-year-old from Ontario, was apprehended while he was a passenger in a car behind a local Waremart.
Ramirez faced more severe charges, including second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, and tampering with physical evidence. Both Anthony Paul Peovich and Kristian Ramirez were subsequently lodged in the Malheur County Jail. The arrests were the culmination of a joint effort by the Malheur County Sheriff's Office, the Ontario Police Department, and the High Desert Drug Task Force, bringing a measure of progress in the quest for justice for Daniel Mendoza Olvera.
