Full Notification

On May 20, 2020, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Turlock Police Dispatch received a call reporting that someone had been shot in the 4300 block of Cherry Blossom Lane. Officers responded and discovered a deceased male at the scene.

The victim was identified as Izrael Villegas, 18 years, resident of Turlock who was deceased from a single gunshot wound. The motive for this incident was determined to be drug related.

Detectives actively investigated this case and worked on leads discovered in their preliminary investigation. The investigation led to the arrest of Robert Omar Branche, 22 years, and Jose Carmona, 30 years, both of which were residents of Modesto.

On January 5, 2021, Branche was in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail on an unrelated charge. He was interviewed regarding this investigation and was then rebooked on murder and robbery charges. On January 6, 2021, Carmona was spotted in Modesto and later contacted in Oakdale where he was arrested on a Ramey warrant, which was also for murder and robbery charges. He was booked at the Stanislaus County Jail after being interviewed.

A third individual involved in this incident has been identified, however, has not been located. The identity of this person is not being released at this time, as this is an ongoing investigation.

Turlock Police Detectives ask that anyone with information, to call Detective Frank Navarro at (209) 664-7319. You can also contact the Turlock Police Department’s Tip Line at (209) 668-5550 extension 6780 or email at [email protected].

The Turlock Police Department is an active participant in the Crime Stoppers Program. Callers can leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636 and may be eligible for a cash reward.

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This information is being released by Turlock Police Department Sergeant Michael Parmley.

Any media requests should contact:
Sergeant Michael Parmley
Office of Professional Standards
Turlock Police Department
Office phone - (209) 664-7345
Email – [email protected]
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