In a tragic incident in the community of Mojave, California in the Mojave Desert, four young people were found dead from gunshot wounds inside an RV.
On May 1, authorities reported that the victims included three women and one man identified as Anna Marie Hester, 34, Darius Travon Canada, 31, Martina Barraza, Jr., 33, all from Mojave, and Faith Leighanne Rose Asbury, 20, of California City.
While no arrests have occurred yet, law enforcement is seeking specific individuals for questioning as “persons of interest.” This horrific event marks more than 20 mass shootings in 2023, surpassing the highest record through the end of April since at least 2006. A mass killing database defines it as the intentional killing of four or more people, not counting the perpetrator.
Kern County deputies arrived at an abandoned lot on H Street in Mojave around 11:20 p.m. on Sunday after receiving reports of a shooting. They found the four victims, each suffering from gunshot wounds to their heads. The Kern County coroner confirmed that three individuals died at the scene, while Asbury later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital on May 1.
The sheriff’s office stated that detectives have interviewed numerous people and are following all leads to identify and apprehend those responsible for the heinous crime.
A long-time resident of the area told the media that the town has been experiencing issues with drug addicts and that the situation was worsening. “They’re all on crystal meth,” he said. “This is all part of drugs, sad to say.”
