Victim in Patterson homicide identified

The victim of a fatal shooting in Patterson on Jan. 31 has been identified as 23-year-old Cesar Fletes of Patterson, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department reported Monday.

The shooting happened about 4 p.m. near Las Palmas Avenue and First Street. Another man was wounded and required hospitalization.

No additional information on the shooting, such as descriptions of the suspect or suspects, has been released.

On Sept. 15, Fletes was among three Patterson men arrested on suspicion of robbing another man twice on the same day, sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Anthony Bejaran said.

Fletes and the other two were accused of robbing a man near Garza Park and then following him to his home in Crows Landing, where they allegedly robbed him again. One of the men had a shotgun.

In the park, the suspects demanded the victim’s shoes, Bejaran said. After giving the men his shoes, the victim drove home to Crows Landing. The suspects followed him there and demanded more property and threatened to shoot him, Bejaran said. Authorities stopped the suspects’ vehicle on Highway 33 traveling toward Patterson. Fletes, Francisco Cortez, 28, and Enrique Silva, 23, were all arrested on suspicion of two misdemeanors and five felonies including robbery, conspiracy and participation in a criminal street gang.

Anyone with information on Fletes’ death is asked to call Detective Greg Buck at 209-525-7103.

Information also can be reported to Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward. Tipsters also may text information to Crime Stoppers at 274637; type Tip704 plus the message.

Sheriff’s investigators still are in the process of getting a positive identification in another death last week, Bejaran said.

The body of a man was discovered near the bank of the Tuolumne River just north of the Carpenter Bridge at noon Thursday.

There was no identification on the man, who had on only blue jeans. The Sheriff’s Department was treating the case as a suspicious death and sent the body to the Coroner’s Office for an autopsy.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Victim in Patterson homicide identified."