On Wednesday, June 28th, 2023, at 3:30 pm, Merced County Sheriff’s detectives and Turlock Police officers arrived at the Brentwood Apartments, 302 E Hawkeye Ave, Turlock, to serve a warrant in connection to a homicide investigation.

Detectives were looking for Josiah Williams, 22, of Turlock, who they had obtained a $1,000,000 felony Ramey warrant against for murder.

Detectives arrived at the apartment and detained nine subjects without incident, one of which was Williams.

Detectives conducted their investigation and eventually released everyone, except Williams.

Williams was arrested and booked into the Merced County Sheriff’s Main Jail on his warrant.

Detectives suspect that Williams had shot Liliana Zaragoza, 19, of Livingston, and a juvenile at a house party early Sunday morning near the intersection of Sunset Dr and Washington Blvd in unincorporated Livingston.

Zaragoza succumbed to her injuries at the scene, while the juvenile was airlifted to a hospital.

The status of the juvenile victim is currently unknown.

Although the motive for the shooting is also currently unknown, we do know that Williams was at least associated with a gang member, if not one himself.

On the night of Thursday, May 11th, Turlock Police officers conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Geer Rd and Wayside Dr where they arrested Charles Jackson, 20, of Merced, on several gang and weapon charges. Williams was in the vehicle with Jackson at the time of the stop and was briefly detained during the stop before being cleared and released.

According to Merced County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Alexandra Britton, Williams was the only suspect in this case and there is no longer any sort of threat to the general public if there ever was one.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information that could assist in it is encouraged to call the Merced County Sheriff’s Office at 209-385-7472.