A 21-year-old Sacramento man suspected of fatally shooting a security guard at the Los Banos Fairgrounds surrendered Wednesday morning to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, authorities said.
Gabriel Angel Salas was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of murder in the Aug. 29 killing of Kody Pena, 31, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.
The surrender followed an investigation that involved multiple Sacramento-area law enforcement agencies, including West Sacramento police and the Yolo Regional SWAT Team.
“Our investigators worked closely with the West Sacramento Police Department and Yolo Regional SWAT Team during this investigation,” the Merced County Sheriff’s Office posted Wednesday on Facebook. “Early this morning, Salas turned himself in to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and was booked into the Sacramento County Jail for murder.”
Pena was working as a security guard for a private event at the Los Banos Fairgrounds when an altercation reportedly led to the shooting late Aug. 29.
Merced County sheriff’s deputies found Pena suffering from several gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office was working to extradite Salas from Sacramento County. The agency thanked the public for providing information and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, West Sacramento Police Department and Yolo County Sheriff’s Office for assisting with the investigation.
A GoFundMe page titled “Support Kody’s Family and Children” described Pena as a father of three young children.
“Kody was a hardworking man, a loyal friend, and someone who never hesitated to show up when others needed him,” the page said.