TULARE COUNTY – The man who was identified as the shooter behind a pair of drive-by shootings that occurred in the Cutler-Orosi area in 2023 has received his sentencing.
Raul Vasquez, 20, was sentenced to 59 years-to-life in prison for the shootings after being found guilty by a jury on Feb. 7, 2025.Â
According to the office of the Tulare County District Attorney, the crime occurred at approximately 10 p.m. on June 27, 2023. A group was standing in front of their homes in Cutler when a suspicious vehicle drove slowly past. The driver of the vehicle called out to the group, before opening fire and striking two men. The vehicle sped off, and the two victims survived.Â
Just over a month later on July 29, an adult male was standing outside his car in front of a relative’s house in Cutler when he noticed a dark sedan approaching. After shouting profanities at the bystander, the driver opened fire. The victim was luckily able to take cover behind his vehicle.Â
Just over an hour later, deputies with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene of a car accident at an orchard, where they found Vasquez in the dark sedan and identified him as the shooter.Â
In court, Vasquez was convicted of four felony counts of willful, deliberate and premeditated murder, four special allegations of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, two special allegations of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury and two special allegations of personal discharge of a firearm. Prosecutors secured the conviction in February.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kirk Davis and investigated by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
