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The man suspected of killing his wife at a Garden Grove home before fleeing to Central Valley is believed to have been involved in a murder-suicide attempt several hours later, Stockton police told KTLA.
Miguel Lopez, 35, was connected to two violent crimes on Thursday. This was first done on short-term rental properties in Orange County, followed by fatal shootings over 350 miles north of San Joaquin County.
On Friday, authorities confirmed details about Lopez, including that he was previously a California highway patrol officer and that the fatal shooting in Stockton is believed to be a murder-suicide attempt.
Lopez, 35, was subject to a complicated investigation Thursday after her daughter called 911 and reported that her mother needed help. Officials from the Garden Grove Police Station responded to rental properties in the 11,500 block of Morgan Lane, entered the home and discovered that Lopez’s wife, 37-year-old Crystal Gonzalez, had passed away.
Garden Grove House (KTLA) is believed to have killed his wife, Crystal Gonzalez on July 17, 2025
Police left the couple’s two children home and began searching for their father.
During the search, Garden Grove police were informed that Lopez’s vehicle was located in Stockton and that police were investigating the shooting, including him.
The suspect in the shooting, described as a 35-year-old Hispanic man, was found dead near a CrossFit gym in North Stockton. The second person, a 54-year-old white man, was found at the scene suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The 54-year-old was taken to a community hospital and recently listed as dangerous.
Police told KTLA it appears to be a murder-suicide attempt, and the suspect shot and killed the victim multiple times before turning the gun to himself.
Stockton police have not directly stated that the suspect in the shooting was Miguel Lopez, but confirmed that the incident was directly related to the Garden Globe murder, with the suspect in both cases being a 35-year-old Hispanic man.
The stakeholder identity has not been released yet.
Lopez, who lived in Loddy near Stockton, was previously an officer on the California Highway Patrol, the agency confirmed. He was assigned to the Hayward Area Office when he completed the CHP Academy in April 2017 and left the department in August 2022 after transferring to the Stockton Area Office in 2020.
A statement released by the CHP declares that “the suspect in this former employee” does not reflect the professionalism of hundreds of other dedicated employees.
“CHP will spread its ideas and prayers to the family and friends of those involved in this tragedy,” the statement concludes.
Lopez and Gonzalez are connected to their surviving family. The exact method of Gonzalez’s death has not yet been announced.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental distress or thoughts of suicide, you can contact the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by phone or text. You can also access 988lifeline.org.
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