Authorities identify victim of first Merced homicide in 2016

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced Police are investigating the city's first murder of the year. The victim has been identified as 33-year-old Luis Gonzalez. Investigators said he was assaulted in an alley.

"I just want to know who did it and why they did it," said Alicia Campbell, who was friends with Gonzalez. "He wasn't a bad guy. He was a good guy. I wish whoever did it would turn themselves in."

Merced Police said the call came Sunday night as a man down in an alley near R and 13th Streets. However, authorities said when police arrived at the scene, they realized he had been assaulted. They said Gonzalez died an hour later, making it the first homicide for Merced this year.

"He was a good guy, and I don't see why anybody would want to hurt him," Campbell said.

Police are still investigating and hope to arrest a suspect soon.

"Detectives were called out and are actively investigating up on leads and some evidence that we discovered at the scene and identify who the suspects are in this," Sgt. Curt Gorman with the Merced Police Department said.

In the meantime, friends are mourning for Gonzalez. They said he was homeless at the time of the attack but leaves behind two kids and say shock is still setting in.

"Broke my heart, I couldn't believe it was him," Campbell said.

Campbell said buying the flowers to lay on the site was hard but not has hard as the loss of the friend she's known for 13 years.

"I wish somebody would come through and say they did it, so at least the boy can rest," she said.