Warrant issued for suspect in Patterson park homicide

A man who was considered a person of interest in Stanislaus County's first and only homicide of the year officially has become a suspect.

A warrant for the arrest of Victor Valdovinos, 26, was issued Monday in the murder of 19-year-old Jesus Gallardo, said Stanislaus sheriff's Detective Darwin Hatfield. Gallardo was found shot to death in Patterson's Felipe Garza Park on Jan. 4.

Detectives said witness statements put Valdovinos in the park around the time of the shooting, and through further investigation they developed enough probable cause for an arrest warrant.

Valdovinos is described as Latino, 5-foot-11, 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities said he is known to frequent Patterson and Merced County.

Investigators ask anyone with information on the case or Valdovinos' whereabouts to contact Hatfield at (209) 525-7100 or Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at (866) 602-7463.

This story was originally published January 24, 2012 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Warrant issued for suspect in Patterson park homicide."