Cold case from 2008: Parlier double murder suspect in custody

A Fresno County Sheriff’s cold case detective tracked down a murder suspect involved in a 2008 shooting in Parlier in which two men died.

Jose Zepeda, 42, was arrested this week, a department spokesman reported.

Zepeda was taken in custody in Kern County, where he was on probation following an arson fire at a marijuana growing site in January.

The shooting in Parlier took place at an apartment complex in the 13000 block of Manning Avenue, where Gilberto Coria Bustos, 25, and Malaquias Pacheco Flores, 24, were shot to death in November 2008.

A key to unlocking the case came from Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies, who reported that a day following the shooting, a man reported being attacked and shot in the Traver area. He was taken to a hospital. Fresno detectives wanted to speak with the victim because of the possibility that he had been wounded in the Parlier incident. But the victim, identified as Zepeda, was gone by the time the detectives arrived at the hospital.

The Fresno Sheriff’s spokesman said that several weeks later, crime scene evidence linked Zepeda’s blood to blood found at the Parllier scene, in what is thought to have been a drug deal that went wrong.

After learning about the Kern County case, the cold case detective requested a warrant and Zepeda was arrested by U.S. Marshals. He is being held on a bail of $2 million.

Detectives are asking for anyone who knows more about the Parlier double homicide and are offering a cash reward through Crime Stoppers, which can be reached at 559-498-7867.

This story was originally published November 14, 2019 at 10:29 AM.