On April 7, 2024, 41-year-old Sacramento resident Preston Roy was fatally shot in a tunnel beneath Interstate 5, near Miller Regional Park. His wife, aged 50, sustained severe but non-life-threatening injuries during the incident. Both were known to be unhoused individuals frequenting the area.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the scene around 11 a.m. The location, a tunnel near the south end of Front Street, is recognized as a spot inhabited by several residents.
Following the shooting, the CHP's Valley Division Major Crimes Unit initiated an investigation and identified 63-year-old John Gavino, a local resident, as a person of interest.
On April 16, 2024, Gavino was apprehended by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office in Watsonville. He was subsequently charged with murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and booked into the Sacramento County Jail.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and authorities have not disclosed any further details regarding the relationship between Gavino and the victims. The investigation is ongoing, with the CHP urging anyone with additional information to come forward to aid in resolving the case and providing answers to the affected families.
