A horrific stabbing in Modesto, California, claimed the lives of three members of the same family, including a newborn infant, shocking the local community.
The Victims
The victims were identified as:
- Maria Sylvia Nunez-Villalobos, 54, grandmother
- Fabiola Gonzalez-Nunez, 23, mother
- Mateo Gonzalez, 2 weeks old, infant
Officers responded to the home just after 9:20 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, where they found Gonzalez-Nunez with multiple stab wounds. Nunez-Villalobos and the baby were also suffering from apparent stab wounds.
Both the young mother and grandmother were pronounced dead at the scene, while the infant was transported to a hospital and later died that day.
Inside the home, a 3-year-old child remained uninjured and was hospitalized for evaluation before being placed in the custody of Child Protective Services. The toddler is believed to be the child of Gonzalez-Nunez and the suspect, Joaquin Escoto.
Suspect Arrested
Joaquin Escoto, 28, was arrested the same day with the help of SWAT and hostage negotiation teams. Police established a perimeter and closed nearby schools as a precaution. Escoto was later found hiding in a nearby residence and taken into custody without incident.
He was booked into Stanislaus County Jail on three counts of murder with special circumstance enhancements, use of a deadly weapon, and an outstanding DUI warrant. Authorities said Escoto lived with the victims and was believed to have been in a relationship with Gonzalez-Nunez.
Investigation
The Modesto Police Department continues to investigate the triple homicide, including the suspect’s relationship to the victims. Escoto’s legal representation has not been confirmed. Police described the loss as a “heartbreaking tragedy” for the victims’ families and loved ones.
Community Response
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up for the victims’ families. The page remembers Nunez-Villalobos as a “cherished and loving grandmother,” Gonzalez-Nunez as a “devoted mother and daughter,” and Mateo Gonzalez as an “innocent child whose life was taken far too soon.”
The fundraiser emphasizes that the family’s love and memories of the victims will “forever remain in our hearts and will never be forgotten.”
