On the evening of December 10, 1998, Fernando Orozco, a Hispanic male, was working behind the counter of the LaCorona Liquor Store located at 1614 South Michigan Street in South Bend, Indiana. In a sudden act of violence, a suspect entered the establishment and opened fire with a handgun, striking Orozco multiple times. Despite immediate efforts to save him, he succumbed to the severity of his gunshot wounds and died.
The investigation into his murder remains open, yet no arrests have
been made and no suspects have been publicly identified, leaving the case unsolved for years. A significant and possibly related event had occurred just a week prior to Orozco's death. He had been the victim of an armed robbery at his business, and in an act of self-defense, he shot and killed the perpetrator. Authorities have considered the possibility that Orozco's murder was a retaliatory act connected to this prior incident, though a definitive link has not been established. The South Bend Police Department continues to seek information from the public in hopes of bringing closure to the family of Fernando Orozco.
