Two men from Turlock have been arrested. 24-year old Rafael Orosco and 32-year old Juan Aguilera.
Merced county detectives arrived at Washington and Peach shortly before one Sunday morning after several people called 911 to report gun shots and fighting.
Investigators said the fight broke out over $10. One witness told detectives several men were standing out on the street pummeling a man to death.
Merced county investigators found an unidentified man in his late 20s dead here near the street early Sunday morning.
"There was a passer-by who witnessed some of it and tried to get them to stop and they were just bent on getting their vengeance right away," said Merced county Sheriff Mark Pazin.
Pazin said the victim was actually the suspect who shot and killed 20-year old Miguel Orosco of Turlock over a $10 cockfighting wager.
The argument started in the backyard of this rural home where the illegal event was taking place, 911 calls started pouring in.
"They heard a verbal dispute kind of got escalated. Next thing you know rounds started flying," Pazin said.
Pazin said Orosco's older brother Rafael and another man, 32-year old Juan Aguilera from Turlock wrestled the gun away from the shooter before chasing him to the street and bludgeoned him to death.
"It's a convoluted story. Again it starts off as friends just getting together to kill their roosters," Pazin said.
Ag-Crimes detectives are investigating the home owner where the cockfighting took place.
15-20 roosters were found. Some are dead. The rest will be euthanized.
Residents did not want to speak on camera but told me they were shocked that two people were killed.
Detectives are looking for anyone else who may have been involved in the fatal attacks and cockfighting ring.
The suspect Juan Aguilera was wounded during the fight and was flown to Modesto for treatment. He's under guard there will later join Rafael Orosco in county lock up charged with homicide.
