Oxnard, California – A gang member has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of a young father in a 2012 shooting. David Guadalupe Calderon, 31, was found guilty of the murder of 19-year-old Edwin Herrera. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Calderon’s conviction for this heinous crime.
Calderon, a registered gang member, along with another gang member named Carlos Hernandez, was driving through the Lemonwood neighborhood of Oxnard on February 29, 2012. Armed with a sawed-off shotgun, Calderon was reportedly seeking to prove his loyalty to his gang. It was during this drive that they encountered Herrera, who was innocently moving his car in an attempt to avoid a parking ticket.
After stopping his car next to Herrera, Calderon stepped out with the shotgun in hand and demanded to know Herrera’s gang affiliation. Despite Herrera’s denial of any gang membership, Calderon callously shot him in the neck at close range before fleeing the scene with Hernandez.
Horrified family members of the victim rushed to find Herrera wounded in his car. Despite efforts to save him, Herrera succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to a nearby hospital. The investigation revealed that the suspects had purchased a unique type of shotgun ammunition on the day of the murder, which was used in the fatal shooting.
Shortly after committing the murder, Calderon was captured on security footage entering a pizza shop nonchalantly and ordering a pizza. In a further callous act, Calderon later sold the murder weapon to another gang member just days after the crime took place. Subsequently, on March 30, 2012, police executed a search warrant at a residence where the shotgun was recovered.
Calderon’s egregious actions caught up with him in 2015 when he was indicted and charged for Herrera’s murder. Despite being in custody for an unrelated robbery case, where he was recorded bragging about the killing to another inmate, Calderon faced the charges. Convicted by a jury on March 15, 2024, Calderon was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with an additional 27 years to life. The sentencing also included special allegations related to his participation in a street gang, firearm discharge, street terrorism, and committing a felony while out on bail.
The decisive actions taken by the Oxnard Police Department were instrumental in securing justice for Herrera and his family. Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick, who prosecuted the case, expressed hope that Calderon’s conviction and sentencing would provide some semblance of closure for Herrera’s grieving family.