On June 21, 2023, 27-year-old Brazilian national Matheus Gaidos was fatally shot in Oakland, California. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. in the 400 block of 26th Street in Oakland's Koreatown neighborhood. Gaidos was delivering flowers to an apartment building when he reportedly complimented a passerby by saying "nice dog." This seemingly innocuous remark led to a confrontation with the individual, who then shot Gaidos.
Following the shooting, the Oakland Police Department (OPD) released surveillance images of two individuals seen in the area prior to the homicide: a man and a woman. The man was later identified as 22-year-old Eric Loc Elvira. Through collaborative efforts between OPD Homicide Investigators and the U.S. Marshals, Loc Elvira was located and arrested in Chicago. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged him with the murder of Gaidos. The woman accompanying Loc Elvira was identified and is no longer considered a person of interest.
Gaidos had moved to the United States five years prior to escape street violence in Brazil and had been residing in the San Francisco Bay Area for three years, working as a delivery driver. His family, who traveled from Brazil following the tragedy, expressed their grief and called for justice. Gaidos's father, Antonio, stated through an interpreter, "It's hard to forgive something that happened like that. We want justice, just don't want to see this happening with somebody else."
The arrest of Loc Elvira brought some relief to the community and Gaidos's loved ones, who had been seeking answers and justice for the senseless act of violence. The case underscores the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies across state lines in apprehending suspects and bringing them to justice. As the legal process unfolds, Gaidos's family and friends continue to mourn his loss and advocate for an end to such violence.
