$85K Reward Offered In Unsolved Killing Of 4-Year-Old Salvador Esparza III

A shooting incident in Altadena, California, 10 years ago took the life of a four-year-old child named Salvador Esparza III. Now, police ask for help to try and resolve the true crime. Read on for more details.

The Accidental Victim

According to ABC7 Eyewitness News, the little boy was standing in a doorway on West Figueroa Drive when gunfire erupted around 10:40 p.m.

The outlet noted that law enforcement officers “believe the attack was gang-related.”

The child was caught in the crossfire when someone tried shooting at an adult who was staying “at the same residence.”

Investigators said the intended target had been involved in some sort of “dispute with the gunman earlier that day.”

The Suspect Escaped

According to KTLA, the suspect, who approached from nearby Olive Street, fired at least a dozen rounds toward the front porch.

Salvador Esparza III suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head and was later pronounced dead at Huntington Memorial Hospital.

The intended target, the mother’s boyfriend, was also struck but survived his injuries. The shooter escaped in a dark-colored vehicle and has not been apprehended.

A Reward Offered

The Colorado Boulevard reported two years ago that an initial reward of between $10,000 to $20,000 was increased to $25,000 to $50,000 in hopes of generating new leads.

However, in 2026, the case still remains unresolved.

ABC7 Eyewitness News reported that the reward has since increased to $85,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Asking For Help

County Sheriff Robert Luna said, “Someone knows who was involved. Someone knows the truth, and today we are asking those individuals to step up to the plate and do the right thing.”

Although investigators have followed numerous leads over the years, not enough infornation arrived to effect an arrest.

When the news arrived on Instagram this week, the caption by ABC7 LA noted, “Authorities are renewing their call for information in the killing of a 4-year-old Altadena boy, 10 years after he was fatally struck by a stray bullet.”

The post also revealed how the unsolved case hurts the family a lot to this day.

Investigators believe the shooting was gang-related, although no one has ever been charged.

True Crime Followers React

In the comments section, plenty of people wondered why, after a decade, nobody had been held accountable for the death of the child.

Cold cases often remain unsolved despite years of investigation.

Meanwhile, others felt that even an $85K reward might not be enough to find a suspect.

One reader wrote, “Please help find the [person] that did this!! Rest in peace little guy.”

If you know anything about that fateful day, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. You can still claim the reward even if you don’t reveal your name.

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