On Wednesday, May 20th, 2020, at approximately 1:00 am, the Turlock Police Department received a call of a shooting that had just occurred in the 4300 block of Cherry Blossom Ln. Officers responded and located a deceased male at the scene who had suffered a single gunshot wound. He was identified as Izrael Villegas, 18, of Turlock.

Detectives from the Investigations Unit were called out and conducted an investigation. Detectives learned that the motive for the shooting was drug related. Detectives worked leads which led to Robert Omar Branche, 22, of Modesto, Jose Carmona, 30, of Modesto, and Owen Ramos, 23, of, Modesto being identified as the suspects.

On January 5th, Branche was in the Stanislaus County Public Safety center on an unrelated charge. He was pulled out by detectives and interviewed regarding this investigation and later rebooked on murder and robbery charges.

On January 6th, Carmona was spotted in Modesto and later contacted in Oakdale where he was arrested. He was also booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on murder and robbery charges.

On March 10th, Owens voluntarily went to the Turlock Police Department and was subsequently arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on robbery charges.

The investigation remains on-going. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Frank Navarro at 209-664-7319 or by email at FNavarro@turlock.ca.us. You can also leave an anonymous tip at the Turlock Police Department’s tip line at 209-668-5550 extension 6780 or by email at tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.