Madera County man dies after fight over a woman near Dunlap, sheriff’s office says

A Madera County man died after a fight over a woman near Dunlap in the Sierra Nevada foothills early Friday.

Deputies with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office found Thomas Robert Christopher, 56, dead in the front yard of a home in the 49000 block of Chuckwagon Road just after midnight. Deputies were responding to a 911 call from a man who said he had just been in a fight.

The two men knew each other for several years and were upset over a woman both had been involved with, sheriff’s office spokesman Tony Botti said.

After an investigation, homicide detectives said the incident began when Christopher parked his vehicle down the road and then walked onto the property and began banging on the door, calling out the man by name.

According to Botti: “The man, who was asleep, got up and opened the door. Christopher pushed his way through and immediately began attacking the man with a metal pipe. The man fought back, pushing Christopher out onto the front porch. The man delivered several strikes to Christopher, severely injuring him.”

No arrests have been made.

The man who survived the fight was taken to the hospital with an injured leg.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Adrian Villegas at 559-600-8210 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.

This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 9:40 AM with the headline "Madera County man dies after fight over a woman near Dunlap, sheriff’s office says."