In a tragic incident in Fontana, California, fitness influencer and mother of seven, Gloria Zamora, along with her date, Hector Garduno, a father of four, were shot and killed by Zamora's estranged husband in a restaurant parking lot, as reported by NBC Los Angeles. The shooter, Thomas Alberto Tamayo Lizarraga, was subsequently killed by an off-duty sheriff's deputy who responded to the scene after hearing gunshots.
Zamora, aged 40, and Garduno, aged 43, were ambushed outside a sushi restaurant in the San Bernardino County community. The Fontana Police Department and family members had conveyed to authorities cited in a People article. Zamora, known for her motivational fitness content and advice for mothers, managed to gather notable online followings of 155,000 on Instagram and 85,000 on TikTok. Garduno, described by his family as a "loving, devoted, and hardworking man," leaves behind four daughters, both families grappling with the incomprehensible loss, which they expressed through fundraising efforts for funeral costs.
Just a week before the shooting, Zamora spoke candidly about her pending divorce on her "HERizon" podcast, indicating her attempts to safely navigate her personal life transitions, which she shared with thousands of followers. According to ABC 7, the specifics of how Lizarraga found Zamora's location remain unclear, but officials state she had been at the restaurant for about an hour before the fatal confrontation occurred.
A GoFundMe page, set up by Zamora's daughter, praised her mother as a source of empowerment and inspiration within her community her daughter's words echoing deep admiration and the harsh void left behind, "My mom was more than just a mother — she was a light in her community," Zamora's daughter shared through a poignant message detailed in the fundraising post as obtained by NBC Los Angeles. An ongoing investigation led by the Fontana Police Department seeks to unravel the circumstances leading up to this act of violence, highlighting issues of domestic safety, as mentioned by ABC 7, reflecting the increased risks faced by individuals amidst separation or divorce.
