Two arrests made in the killing of gun violence activist, subject of USA TODAY series

Suzette Hackney, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
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Two people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a beloved Los Angeles-area coach and community volunteer who was the subject of a USA TODAY special report.

Jose Quezada Jr., 46, was shot and killed July 27, 2023, after cooking for hundreds of people at a public event at a city park in Wilmington, a district of south Los Angeles. His death remained unsolved for months as he was remembered for his legacy with generations of the city’s young people.

Quezada, who was known as “Coach,” coached basketball and baseball for nearly 30 years. He believed that sports helped keep kids on the right path and away from gangs. Beyond coaching, Quezada spent his free time fundraising for people in need.

Special report: You might think America’s gun problem isn’t fixable. You never met Jose Quezada

Capt. Jamie Bennett of the Los Angeles Police Department speaks to Sandy DeLaMora, the widow of Jose Quezada, after a news conference where detectives announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with Quezada's murder. Quezada, a longtime community supporter and youth sports coach, was shot and killed in a city park July 27, 2023. He became the subject of a USA TODAY special report in late 2023, when his killing remained unsolved.

Gang violence had been persistent for decades in Wilmington. In the USA TODAY report and a video documentary in 2023, Los Angeles police specifically noted Quezada’s impact on community safety.

That legacy made his death all the more shocking. Quezada was struck in the head by a single gunshot, late on a Friday evening while preparing to leave the event at Wilhall Park in Wilmington. He had been volunteering for Summer Night Lights, one of many events around Los Angeles aimed at keeping kids off the streets through entertainment, food and sports.

No evidence had surfaced that suggested Quezada was an intended target. For months, police had said only that they were seeking more leads in the case.

The Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday identified the two suspects as Sergio Esteban, 28, and Estevan Hernandez, 27, both residents of San Pedro, a neighboring district of Los Angeles. Both face murder charges and are being held in lieu of multimillion-dollar bonds.

Police said that Esteban had been arrested and held since December but that Hernandez had been a fugitive in Mexico. He was arrested Jan. 31 after being found by law enforcement there, with assistance from an FBI task force, and was turned over to U.S. and Los Angeles officials Feb. 1.

Police on Thursday reiterated that Quezada had no apparent link to the suspects, but they offered few other details or a motive for the crime.

"I believe that this case was gang-related and gang-motivated in that the suspects for this crime are documented gang members," said Capt. Jamie Bennett of the LAPD's South Bureau Homicide Division. "Mr. Quezada was a community volunteer, he had no gang involvement, and was completely an innocent bystander who fell victim to horrific gang violence."

Family and friends of Jose Quezada gather in the square where he was gunned down three months earlier for an unveiling of “Coach Jose Quezada Memorial Square.” Quezada was shot and killed during a community event at Wilmington Recreation Park on July 27, 2023.
Family and friends of Jose Quezada gather in the square where he was gunned down three months earlier for an unveiling of “Coach Jose Quezada Memorial Square.” Quezada was shot and killed during a community event at Wilmington Recreation Park on July 27, 2023.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jose Quezada shooting: Two people arrested, LAPD says