Fatal Riverside County Shooting Linked To Turlock Man

MEAD VALLEY, CA — A man suspected of gunning down a 30-year-old Mead Valley resident was being held Monday in lieu of $1 million bail.

Raul Joe Varela, 51, of Turlock was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside Sunday on suspicion of murder.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Varela allegedly killed Giovanni Martinez in the area of Elizabeth and Woodward streets in Mead Valley shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday.

Sgt. Lance Stoyer said deputies were called to the location to investigate reports of an assault and discovered Martinez outside a house, suffering from gunshot wounds.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Central Homicide Unit detectives took over the investigation, and by Saturday, they had identified Varela as the alleged assailant, though Stoyer did not provide any further details, including a possible motive.

An arrest warrant was served on the suspect in the predawn hours Sunday, near where the attack occurred. He was taken into custody without incident.

Background information on Varela was unavailable.

The case was expected to be turned over to the District Attorney's Office for review Monday.