Three decades after a California man died, his children’s mother and ex-boyfriend were charged with murder.
Zachary Jackson was fatally shot in his Hayward, California, home on June 17, 1993, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
After 32 years, prosecutors have charged two suspects: Veronica Fonseca, 56, and Anthony Fox, 54.
According to KTVU, Fonseca and Fox were dating when Jackson was murdered.
According to KTVU and CBS News, Fonseca and Jackson had two children, ages one and four, in June 1993.
According to CBS, at the time, Jackson had custody of the 4-year-old and Fonseca had custody of the 1-year-old.
Police reportedly interviewed Fonseca multiple times following Jackson’s death but found no grounds to suspect her of the crime.
At a press conference attended by the media, Alameda County Sheriff’s Detective Pat Smyth stated that the first important break in the investigation occurred in 2014, when someone called to indicate that Fonseca and Fox were guilty for the murder.
Smyth told CBS that the case hit a “roadblock” and was put on hold for years.
According to the outlet, it wasn’t until 2025 that police claimed to have identified multiple cooperating witnesses, resulting in the charges against Fonseca and Fox.
“We believe they were both there, and that Mr. Fox was the one who pulled the trigger,” Smyth told KTVU.
CBS stated that Fonseca was detained in Queens, N.Y., while Fox was apprehended in Iowa. Both are awaiting extradition to California.
According to prosecutors, both suspects are accused of murder and burglary. It’s unknown whether anyone has filed a plea or hired an attorney.
