33rd homicide in Fresno: Body found in barber shop, but cause of death unknown

Police are investigating after a body was found Sunday in a northwest Fresno barber shop, the city’s 33rd homicide of 2021.

According to Lt. Israel Reyes, officers responded to a call just after 1 p.m. from an employee at the Fade Shop near the intersection of Herndon and Blackstone avenues.

Officers arrived and found the man dead inside the business.

According to Reyes, the cause of death is under investigation but severe blunt force trauma was found on the victim’s upper body.

Officers learned that two employees arrived at the shop and found their deceased coworker inside the restroom in the back of the barber shop.

“We don’t have suspect information at this time,” Reyes said. “But we do have witnesses that indicated that there was some type of function that occurred here earlier in the day or morning with maybe a disturbance.”

The type of function that occurred is still under investigation.

Fresno County Coroner’s Office spokesman Tony Botti said at midday Monday that release of the dead man’s identity was pending notification of family. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday.

This story was originally published May 30, 2021 at 8:40 PM.