The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office is approaching the Brandon Pacheco shooting with caution and is currently awaiting more investigative information before deciding whether to charge the admitted shooter, Turlock resident Robin Boyer, 58.
The incident occurred on July 23, when Boyer undisputedly shot and killed Pacheco, 25.
Turlock police were called to a home in the 1100 block of Dianne Drive at 7:56 a.m. and found Pacheco deceased in a field. Boyer told police he had found Pacheco trespassing on his property.
Boyer told police that he shot Pacheco after seeing him trespass on his property several times in the past. It is believed Boyer saw Pacheco on his property the morning of the shooting and confronted him.
Boyer was not arrested and Turlock police say he was cooperative in their investigation.
It is believed Boyer shot Pacheco in the head, although officials have yet to confirm whether Pacheco was shot in the front or the rear of his head. Pacheco’s sister, Shannon Pacheco, 34, says she saw her brother’s body and that he was shot in the back of the head.
“He had no wounds other than to the back of his head. I know for a fact that he was running away from Boyer,” she said. “Why didn’t Boyer just beat him up or shoot him in the leg or fire a warning shot? I think he will be charged.”
It also remains unclear if Boyer shot Pacheco on his own property. Initial police reports said Pacheco was shot in a field near his property, but the exact location has not been released.
Shannon Pacheco says she has been in regular contact with a Turlock police detective, and that the detective has told her to remain patient. According to Shannon Pacheco, the detective said “it shouldn't be too much longer, until me and my family have the answers we have been waiting for.”
Stanislaus County Assistant District Attorney Carol Shipley, who could not comment on the particulars of the investigation, says there is no established time-line for when the investigative information will be received and a decision made whether or not to charge Boyer with murder or any lesser charges.
She noted the District Attorney is taking a cautionary approach to the case.
“Sometimes we think we have enough evidence and then through further investigation we realize we didn’t have as much as we thought, so we end up pleading the case out or dropping the charges,” Shipley said. “In a case like this, we don’t want to make a mistake. We need to make an intelligent, informed decision.”
Shipley says the investigation must be thorough to be fair to all parties, including Boyer.
“If I were the suspect, I would want the investigation to be complete as possible,” she said. “We have to take every case individually on its facts. Those facts and evidence can vary from case-to-case when it comes to making a decision to charge someone.”
Yet Pacheco's family, dealing with the tragic loss of a family member, want justice to come quickly.
“These nights are hard, I miss you brother so much,” Shannon Pacheco posted to her Facebook on Sept. 9. “I just wish I could feel your hugs or see your beautiful smile again, I know someday I will, but it still isn’t getting easier knowing that you aren’t here. I love you so much xoxo!!”
Shipley agreed that the case is a firestorm on both sides of the argument.
Brandon Pacheco’s family admits he was no angel. However, they contend that he did not deserve to die the manner he did and have publicly questioned the motives of Boyer. Pacheco had prior convictions for grand theft, commercial burglary and methamphetamine possession in the months leading up to his death.
In the days following the incident, Brandon’s sister Linzey Pacheco posted on her Facebook that, “He was a good hard working kid that never would hurt anybody and was unarmed, and viciously mowed down. He had a lot of family and a lot of friends that loved him. And he was too young to die like this.”
Shannon Pacheco contends that there was likely little to no confrontation between Boyer and her brother.
“My brother was not confrontational or violent,” Shannon Pacheco said. “He had never even been in a fistfight in his whole life. He was running away from Boyer. I think what happened was he had seen my brother before and he (Boyer) was waiting for him to come back. I think he will be charged.”
Shannon Pacheco described her brother as “loving and never mean to his family.”
“I would sit there and lecture to him forever, because he had problems, and he would sit there and start crying. He was never the thug some people are making him out to be.”
She also said that past reports about Brandon Pacheco's homelessness were erroneous. According to Shannon Pacheco he paid rent, but let homeless people stay with him.
Since the incident members of the Pacheco family have indicated they have received hurtful messages from people who do not know them or Brandon.
“There are people saying he deserved it,” said Shannon Pacheco, choking back tears. “No one deserves to die for that. If he went to court would the judge sentence him to death? No, he wouldn’t. It’s unbelievable what people say to me about him that don’t even know my brother.”
There are laws about shooting someone!.. It’s murder unless you can prove you were afraid for your life; if the person is running away from your property I don’t see how that would be justify “being afraid for your life!”… I think instead of “[i]fear[/i]” it was really just “[i]anger[/i]” that caused this shooting… I agree with the sister, he should have aimed to warn at least!…
One less tweaker scumbag off the streets, no big loss. If he wasn’t such a piece of sh1t then he would be alive. The world is a safer place without him. I’m sure he had a wonderful career of smoking meth, non-working and taking things from honest people ahead of him.
And btw meth produces psychosis so non-violent my ass.
The low life family needs to come to terms with the fact that the loser got what he deserved.
Here we go again..
Once again, when you enter someone else’s property with questionable motives, you cannot expect personal safety. I realize that the CA laws are in the favor of criminals & you cannot shoot someone to defend private property (only your own life & even that is iffy) this does not negate the fact that Pacheco was taking an unnecessary risk by violating other people’s rights. What are people supposed to do to protect themselves & their property since the police & government cannot protect anyone? Are we supposed to kick back & just let the unpredictable tweekers continue to escalate their crimes against us? They already hold the city of Turlock hostage on a daily basis & no one with any power seems to be interested in doing anything about it. Pacheco had no reason to be on ANY of the properties he was on that day, except that he needed to steal something to sell for his dope money. CA law will protect his right to violate yours & if Boyer is charged/convicted, it will embolden Stanislaus County tweekers & other insane criminals to do even worse than what Pacheco did. Many of us who have lives we care about & assets to protect are leaving this god-forsaken state thanks to these polices that protect thugs. We’re all just very sick of the (*edited by tcn).
Thank you to anyone who supports Brandon and his family. It seriously is amazing how many ignorant people think they know it all and want to talk crap about Brandon. Who the hell do you think you are to pass judgement on him. You are no better than anyone else and someday God will show you how you are wrong. So go ahead and defend and support a murderer….I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL WITH HIM TOO! This world needs less evil people like yourselves!!!!!
What kind of Mayor, City Government would drag their feet on such a MURDER? This guy was shot, and killed for stealing WHAT? Google the location! GROSS! Listen Pacheco Family stop wasting time with this Turlock Clem Kadiddlehopper BS! Get in touch with the STATE / FEDS, and remember the squeaky wheels gets the grease! You MUST FIGHT FOR JUSTICE!! Think of Trayvonous, I personally Zimmermans life was in danger, Zimmerman was bloody and bruised up pretty bad, from his Travelon beat down, in this case Zimmerman was in the right! But Brandon was shot in the back how chicken $$it is that, I’ve yet to see any images of Robin bloody face or bruises, where in the HELL is the evidence that he was in deadly danger for his life? Hey Mayor John Lazar you are disgusting! to allow this under your watch! Hey AMERICA ITS OPEN SEASON ON TURLOCK’S HOMELESS!! SO DAM SHAMEFUL!!! The City Of Turlock places ZERO VALUE on a 25 yr old homeless young man with issues!! DISGUSTING TURLOCK!! SHAME!SHAME!SHAME!
Linzey,
Why are you posting a letter to your brother here? Do you need the attention that badly? I think its kind of weird.
How dare anyone blame the victim! Brandon was shot in the back of the head on someone else’s property! Has anyone looked into the children of Robin Boyer? Let’s see…..his son Levi is a racist (please see his Facebook posts at https://www.facebook.com/levi.azevedo.545 ) , his son Chris was arrested for a DUI and an admitted thief, his son Jason couldn’t make it on the Turlock Police force-made it a couple of months but quit, his daughter Shelly has had many run ins with the law to say the least.
So why is the DA really dragging their feet? Could it be that the shooters son use to work for Turlock Police Department? or Could it be because the shooter is ex Turlock Police chief Johnson’s good friend? or Could it be that the shooter’s wife Debi Boyer has worked for an influential doctor in the Turlock community (*edited by tcn) for over 20 years? So, what’s really going on????? Mmmmm……………
Robin Boyer ADMITTEDLY shot and killed Brandon Pacheco! The Turlock Police Department needs to arrest Robin Boyer and the DA should file immediate charges Murder charges against Robin Boyer!!
No one deserves to be mowed down. If he was running away. They should have called the cops, fired a scare warning, and let the law handle it. If he was shot, unarmed, and questionable about it being on his (Robin) property or not, then he just murdered someone.
So everyone is suppose to take the law into their own hands? I don’t think so. This kid made some stupid mistakes but none that he should have paid for with his life. If this family had any clue they would turn this into a nation wide ordeal. This man should have been arrested a long time ago. If he wasn’t shot in the back of the head the police would have released that info a long time ago. This isn’t right? There’s a reason laws are put into place, and it’s not so people can take it into their own hands. God bless this family don’t stop until you get justice!
Glad I don’t live in Turlock. Surprised they don’t have public hangings. This old man should have been in jail a long time ago. You don’t take the law into your own hands, especially when the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. This family needs to hire a lawyer because the Turlock PD are not doing their jobs. My heart goes out to them.
Mary you’re a fool. Why on earth would you defend Linzey for writing such an obviously contrived letter on a news forum? She’s just here seeking attention. Besides I’m sure they don’t read TCN in Hell.
“Holly” why are you posting about voters family? This has nothing to do wth them. There was voter and Brandon, no one lse. “Ma your comments show that you are a hypocrite just like the rest of us, may God help you also.
There are 3-sides to every story:
1-what you said
2-what THEY said
3-what REALLY happened
Interesting that you were arrested recently for drug possession and destruction of evidence during a case where a man was shot in the head. What is the matter with you people?
“shelly has had many run ins with the law to say the least” LOL try none. ever. where do you get all of your misinformation? idiot. im going to take one guess at who you are, and i’m pretty sure i’m right. aren’t you related to these people? and having no room to speak. there are so many things i’d love to say about you, but i won’t, because nobody could be as trashy as you. you should be ashamed of yourself. don’t you have kids to exploit?
Um ‘anonymous one’ aka Shelly Boyer aka murderer’s daughter. Why do you feel the need to put everyone else down? Fact is your father killed an unarmed man. You need to stop harrassing the victims family and deal with your own family situation (your father killing an unarmed man and your husband getting fired for his racist FB comments).
also, “alli” aren’t you a little off topic? you’re more concerned about bashing the accused’s family than you are saying anything about brandon’s family. i find that strange. did you know brandon? do you have any affiliation with either of these families? how do you have anything to do with this, and what do any of these people you’re talking about have anything to do with what happened? or are you just a bored housewife creating drama and slanderous rumors about others? seems like YOU’RE the one putting anyone down around here..but I wouldn’t expect someone of your caliber to understand that.
go home, alli, you’re drunk.
So Mr. Boyer is buddy buddy with the turlock police for huh? That is shocking. I use to do so many drugs with Shelly when we were teenagers so to talk about Brandon when Boyers daughter used to be a drug addict is hilarious
So No stolen items were found on brandon, his body was found in the field over (not on boyers property). LEGALLY he had no right to shoot an unarmed person on the neighbors property. Why are the turlock police force sweeping this under the rug?
Where are the rest of the comments? Seems even the news paper is biased and payed off by the police.
He mowed an unarmed kid down on the neighbors property, saying he had seen Brandon before makes it premeditated.
FYI ‘goodfriend’-I am not a housewife, I am not bored and I don’t drink.
This case is about an unarmed Brandon Pacheco being shot in the back of the head by an obviously unhappy Robin Boyer. Boyer had absolutely NO right to shoot nor kill Brandon. The Turlock Police Dept. needs to turn the case over to the DA so that Boyer can be prosecuted and pay for his crime.
Second of all Boyer’s daughter Shelley needs to stop harrassing the victim’s family/friends and supporters. Robin Boyer’s family and friends need to stop trying to make Brandon look bad just to make Boyer look better! Boyer made a VERY Bad decision and needs to pay for what he did!
You are right on all points Anna!! Possible corruption in the Turlock Police Dept.??? Why else would they want to sweep a murder under the rug?
And FYI ‘goodfriend’ I am not a housewife, I am not bored and I don’t drink. I am posting comments because I have the right to voice my opinion. What Robin Boyer did was wrong! He Brutally murdered Brandon and needs to pay the consequences!