Mother of Modesto murder victim tells of young grandkids’ needs and ‘long road ahead’
Outside the Modesto home where a mother of two was gunned down Tuesday night, prayer candles are arranged in the shape of a heart and tealights spell out her name.
Michelle Rose Gonzales “was very loving, she was a very good mother, she worked hard and provided for her children, she was a helper; she helped everybody,” Michelle’s mother, Annette Meras, said through tears as she stood near the candle display in the home’s driveway on Thursday.
While authorities have not yet identified him, Meras said it was the father of Gonzales’ 6-month old son who killed her. Meras said they had been dating on and off for the past three years.
Authorities say the suspect killed a man in San Jose two hours before killing Gonzales in Modesto. He then returned to San Jose, where he was involved in an hourlong pursuit with officers before fleeing his car and hiding in a backyard shed. Following a seven-hour standoff, San Jose police fatally shot him when he emerged from the shed and pointed a gun at them, according to authorities.
Neither the name of the suspect nor the San Jose victim have been released by authorities. A staff member at the Santa Clara County coroner’s office said Thursday officials are waiting for fingerprint identification to come back. Meras said the San Jose victim was a friend of the suspect.
Meras said she never had any sense that the suspect could carry out the kind of violence he is accused of. “He seemed pretty chill and laid back ... I felt comfortable around him,” she said, adding that her daughter never showed any signs of abuse or expressed fear of the suspect.
In addition to her 6-month old son, Raymond, Gonzales leaves behind a 9-year-old daughter, Avianna. Meras said both were home when Gonzales was shot, which happened abruptly.
“He called her out (on the phone) and shot her and left,” Meras said.
Avianna heard the shots, came out of her home to find her mother shot and called police.
Meras said Thursday that Avianna is holding up but “I don’t think she understands fully yet what happened.”
“I think that’s a lifelong process for her,” she said, “I think ... to understand, day-by-day, it’s a journey that’s going to be a long road ahead.”
Friends, neighbors and strangers have been arriving at the family’s home, building on the candle display in the driveway and leaving donations including diapers, food and money.
A GoFundMe.com page, titled “Memorial Fund for Mom of 2 - Michelle Gonzales,” has been set up to help support the family.
For those who would like to help with nonmonetary donations, Meras said they are welcome at the home, 508 Ramsey. They also may be taken to Modesto’s Victory Outreach Church, said Angelina Garza, wife of pastor Justin Garza. His phone number is 408-284-9135.
Angelina Garza was with Meras — a Victory Outreach member in San Jose — at the Ramsey house Thursday.
This story was originally published June 23, 2022 at 11:34 AM.
