A months-long investigation into a deadly December drive-by shooting on Gertrude Avenue ended Thursday with the arrest of a Stockton woman, authorities said. Detectives executed search warrants at two locations in Stockton, and the operation ended with the suspect booked on homicide-related counts. The shooting, which investigators say remains under active review, happened on Dec. 2 along Gertrude Avenue and left one woman dead and a man wounded.
How investigators say the arrest unfolded
Detectives served search warrants at two Stockton locations and took a woman into custody during the operation, according to CBS Sacramento. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as Monica Barajas and said she was booked into jail on charges of murder and attempted murder.
The Dec. 2 shooting
Deputies were called shortly after 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 to reports of gunfire on the 700 block of Gertrude Avenue and found a man and a woman suffering from gunshot wounds, as reported by KCRA. The San Joaquin County medical examiner later identified the woman as 26-year-old Obdulia Sanchez. She died from her injuries, while the man was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Charges and next steps
According to CBS Sacramento, Barajas faces counts of murder and attempted murder and remains in custody as detectives continue their work on the case. The sheriff's office has not released a suspected motive and says investigators are still gathering evidence and speaking with witnesses.
Victim background and tips
Local coverage noted that Sanchez had previously drawn national attention in 2017 after a livestreamed fatal crash, a detail included in reporting on the December shooting by Stocktonia News. Anyone with information about the Gertrude Avenue shooting is asked to call the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office tip line at (209) 468-4400, KCRA reported.
