Life Sentence for North County Attempted Murders
Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Orosi man Raul Alberto Vasquez, age 21, to 59 years-to-life in prison for a series of shootings in the Cutler Orosi area during the summer of 2023. TCDA prosecutors secured the conviction in February.
Around 10 pm on June 27, 2023, a group of neighbors and friends were outside in their Cutler neighborhood when a dark sedan, unfamiliar to the group, drove slowly past. The driver rolled down his window and yelled, “What’s up ese’s?” before shooting at the group, striking two adult males. The vehicle then sped away. Both men survived.
A month later on July 29, 2023, in Cutler, an adult male was outside his vehicle parked at a relative’s house when a dark sedan approached. The driver of the sedan began yelling profanities at the man, who responded that he did not want any problems. The driver responded by shooting at the man as he took cover behind his vehicle. A little more than an hour later, sheriff’s deputies responded to an orchard for a single car accident regarding the sedan. Deputies located Vasquez, who was positively identified by the victim as the shooter.
On February 7, 2025, a Tulare County jury convicted Vasquez of four felony counts of willful, deliberate, and premeditated attempted murder, four special allegations of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, two special allegations of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury, and two special allegations of personal discharge of a firearm.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kirk Davis and investigated by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Communications Director Stuart Anderson (559) 636-5494