The incident happened on Friday at a home on E. Iowa Ave. in central Fresno, where officers received reports of gunfire.
[Ads /]
When they arrived, they found 21-year-old Stacy Zurita and 25-year-old Raul Jose Roberto Nunez with gunshot wounds. One was found on the sidewalk, the other was found in the middle of the street.
The victims were rushed to the Community Regional Medical Center, where they died.
Police say they quickly identified the people responsible for the killings to be 40-year-old Gerardo Zurita and his son, 19-year-old Leobardo Zurita.
Stacy Zurita, one of the victims, was Leobardo's sister and Gerardo's daughter.
Authorities say it all started when a fight broke out between the Zurita and Nunez families.
[Ads /]
Witnesses reported seeing a car leave the home on Iowa and return a short time later, with shots being fired from inside the car.
"The video surveillance footage shows Leobardo Zurita, who had a long ponytail at the time, in the passenger side of the car of the vehicle, and at the time the shots were fired we can clearly see that Leobardo is the right front passenger," says Fresno Police Lt. Paul Cervantez.
Police arrested Leobardo and Gerardo days later on Tuesday after the two were spotted in Fresno.
Both men had altered their appearance in hopes of not being recognized.
After questioning Leobardo Zurita, detectives say that the 19-year-old is remorseful, and didn't intend to shoot his sister.
[Ads /]
"It was not his intent to injure his sister in any way, and I can tell you Leobardo is remorseful, he regrets that he was engaged in this type of activity, he did admit to the shooting and he did confess to police about the incident."
Leobardo and Gerardo were booked into the Fresno County Jail for two counts of murder.
If both suspects are convicted on all counts against them, they could potentially face the death penalty.