Man convicted in Modesto shooting death of 2022 killing of DoorDash driver
A Modesto man has been convicted in the 2022 shooting death of DoorDash driver Andrew Satavu. The killing led to a monthlong search for a suspect, early pleas from police for public help and immense grief for the father of five’s family and friends.
Mario Esparza, 50, was found guilty last week of second-degree murder with the use of a firearm, Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero announced Monday. He faces a potential life sentence at a Jan. 5 hearing.
The shooting
Satavu, 56, had just finished delivering food in the 1600 block of Gardenia Road — southeast of the McHenry Village shopping center — when he was shot multiple times around 9:45 p.m. April 18, 2022, according to Modesto police. Officers tried lifesaving measures, but he died at the scene.
Authorities said early on that they were still investigating whether Satavu may have been robbed or confronted in what appeared to be a crime of opportunity. A DoorDash spokesperson called the killing a “senseless act of violence” and said the company was assisting the family.
In May 2022, detectives released a seven-second surveillance clip showing a faint image of what appeared to be a late-1990s Toyota Camry driving slowly through the neighborhood. Police said it was a “vehicle of interest” and asked for the public’s help identifying it.
At the time, investigators did not publicly explain the car’s significance.
That same week, investigators identified the suspected shooter as Modesto resident Mario Uriel Esparza — then 46 years old — after analyzing surveillance footage and other evidence, according to police.
A warrant was issued, and California Highway Patrol officers located Esparza during a traffic stop on Interstate 405 near Carson, roughly 300 miles from Modesto. He was taken into custody and booked into Stanislaus County jail on suspicion of murder with a gun enhancement.
Police later confirmed that the car shown in the released video belonged to Esparza.
According to prosecutors, Esparza attempted to flee toward Mexico before he was arrested. During an interview with Modesto police Detective Doug Ridenour Jr., Esparza confessed to the killing and directed investigators to where he had hidden the murder weapon, the DA’s Office said.
A father of five who brought laughter everywhere he went
Satavu’s family, friends and former coworkers described him as warm, upbeat and relentlessly hardworking.
He left behind his wife, Katia, and five children — four boys and one girl. The youngest was 8 years old when he was killed.
“He was the best husband. He was a great father,” Katia told The Bee in April 2022. A few hours before the shooting, the couple exchanged “I love you” messages while Satavu was out delivering food. “Right till the last few minutes, he knew how loved he was,” she said.
Satavu grew up in Fiji and moved to California at 17. He coached youth sports, played drums and guitar, surfed and often encouraged creativity and exploration in his children. His son Marcus said his father was “a jack of all trades” whose ambition and curiosity shaped everyone around him.
“That’s one thing — my dad couldn’t stay still,” Marcus said. “He always lived life to the fullest.”
Satavu previously worked at U.S. Foods in Livermore but retired early after finding success in the stock market. He took on DoorDash and Uber Eats deliveries to stay active.
Former coworkers said he loved to laugh and make others laugh, often filling carpool rides and break rooms with jokes and music. “Never was a dull moment,” one friend wrote after his death. “You’ll be truly missed, my friend.”
Sentencing set for January
Esparza is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 5, 2026, in Dept. 9 of Stanislaus County Superior Court.
