Authorities still searching for suspects in Orange Cove double homicide

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A small, tight-knit community is in shock after a Friday shooting that left two young men dead in Orange Cove.

The shooting happened near the bike trail at Railroad Avenue and 11th Street. A memorial of candles is all that's left after 27-year-old Alex Esquivel and 24-year-old Javier Lizaola were found dead.

Throughout the day candles were lit for the two victims. Both were found shot to death near a bench at around 8 p.m. Detectives say two kids walking home from a store discovered them.

A family friend of one of the victims says this is every parent's worst nightmare.

"Our kids are supposed to live us out," Alejandra Costilla said. "They're supposed to live, and we supposed to die before them and this kind of killing, shooting and stabbing got to stop - it has to be stopped already, it's enough, it's enough."

Costilla, a mother of seven, says the tragedy has her praying for both families.

"My condolences go out to them," she said. "My heart goes out to them, but I pray to God they will have closure."

While police patrol the neighborhood, some neighbors are on guard and saying that the violence is getting out of control.

"These youngsters, they don't have respect for each other anymore," Alejandra's husband Art said. "Instead of uniting, being together, taking care of each other, they're just fighting against each other and killing each other for stupid reasons."

They're reasons Costilla can't even comprehend, and she a has a message for the people responsible for taking two lives away.

"You guys who shot him, you guys are cowards," she said. "Always remember who did the shooting, who did the killing, God is watching."

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office says there is no known motive at this time has and they have not provided any suspect information.