Post by HeadMarshal on Jun 15, 2019 21:01:53 GMT -5
Photo Credits: KMPH News
DOB: August 29, 1979
Current Age: 39 (As of June 15, 2019)
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On March 23, 1997, a group of young adults, including 19-year old David Nicola, went to a farmhouse in Exeter, California to play pool and drink beer. That's when another group of youths from a neighbouring community showed up. An argument started over a game of pool and an issue dealing with money.
One of the men left the farmhouse and came back with a gun, shooting at David and another man. David tragically died from his injuries while the other victim survived being shot. The parties involved scattered after the shots were fired.
The suspected shooter was identified as Raul Leon. He is wanted for allegedly killing David and wounding the second victim. Raul Leon may have fled to Mexico.
Based on crime location, it is advised to contact the Tulare County Cold Case Unit at 559-733-6218 if you have any information on Raul Leon's whereabouts.
Moderator Note: If you have any news-related updates on this case or additional vital statistics (height, weight, etc.), please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
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Thoughts? As of a January 16th news article from earlier this year, Raul Leon still had an active murder warrant. Tulare County also has a public court records system, and Raul's 1997 murder case has not gone to trial yet as it is not showing in the database. So he's unfortunately still at large to this day.
I had actually never heard of this case before as I was just browsing news articles on cases out of Tulare County when I came across this one involving a manhunt. As we have said in numerous other cases, fugitives that flee from California to Mexico occasionally come back to the Golden State thinking no one is looking for them. That's why it's important that readers on both sides of the US-Mexico border are aware of cases like these.
If the family of David Nicola reads this, I understand that nothing will bring David back. But hopefully someone can do the right thing and help investigators arrest Raul Leon. If Raul is therefore convicted, maybe that can get you some type of justice in David's memory.
kmph.com/news/local/tulare-county-97-cold-case-david-nicola-killed-over-a-game-of-pool
efiling.tulare.courts.ca.gov/?q=node/349 (Resource to keep track of this case's status)