Wednesday, June 10, 2026

L.A. County Raises Reward to $85,000 in Unsolved 2016 Altadena Killing of 4-Year-Old

A photo of four-year-old Salvador Esparza. [Photo credit: Juana Esparza]

Supervisors approve a $10,000 increase nearly a decade after Salvador “Chavita” Esparza III was fatally shot on a relative’s Altadena porch

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to raise the reward to $85,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 2016 fatal shooting of 4-year-old Salvador “Chavita” Esparza III, who was killed on the front porch of a relative’s home in Altadena.

The action, on a motion by Supervisor Kathryn Barger, adds $10,000 to a reward that had stood at $75,000 and reestablishes it as an active inducement for tips in a case that has gone unsolved for nearly a decade, according to a statement from Barger’s office.

Salvador was shot on the evening of July 5, 2016, in the 300 block of West Figueroa Drive in unincorporated Altadena, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The shooting occurred around 10:40 p.m. A 27-year-old man on the porch was also struck and taken to a hospital, where he survived. Salvador died of his injuries.

LASD investigators have said they believe the suspect is a gang member, that the shooting was gang-related, and that Salvador and his family were not the intended target, according to reporting by KTLA. The shooter has never been identified.

“Little Salvador’s life was taken in a senseless act of violence a decade ago, but our commitment to seeking justice for him and his family remains unchanged,” Barger said in the statement issued by her office. “By increasing this reward to $85,000, we are sending a clear message: this case is not forgotten. Someone knows what happened, and I urge them to come forward. Even the smallest piece of information could help investigators identify those responsible and finally provide answers to Chavita’s loved ones.”

The reward began at $20,000, was doubled to $50,000 in 2022, raised to $75,000 in May 2023, and renewed at $75,000 in July 2025 before Tuesday’s increase, according to KTLA.

Salvador’s grandmother, Juana Esparza, said in a statement released by Barger’s office that the family is hoping the higher reward will draw a tip.

“We hope that with this reward reinstated, someone out there is willing to come forward and give us answers that can bring justice and peace to my family,” she said. “If you know something — anything — we beg you to come forward and give us closure.”

Barger’s office said the motion underscores the county’s continued commitment to supporting the Esparza family and encouraging anyone with information to assist investigators.

Pasadena Mayor Victor M. Gordo welcomed the Board’s action in a statement also released through Barger’s office.

“Nearly ten years have passed since little Chavita Esparza was taken from us, but he has not been forgotten,” Gordo said. “Today, he should be preparing for high school and looking ahead to a bright future. Instead, his family continues to seek the answers and justice they deserve. We are grateful to Supervisor Kathryn Barger for her continued leadership and support in extending and increasing this reward to help keep attention focused on this case.”

The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau continues to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. John Ganarial at (323) 890-5500; assistance is available in multiple languages, including Spanish. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or at lacrimestoppers.org.

“We urge anyone with information to come forward so that those responsible can finally be held accountable,” Gordo said.