A man has been convicted of first-degree murder following a deadly gang-related shooting that unfolded at a Porterville, California motel in the early morning hours of July 10, 2023. Prosecutors say the violent encounter began around 1:45 a.m. when 29-year-old Oscar Zavala crossed paths with a rival gang member on the motel property.

Surveillance footage presented during trial showed the two men briefly exchanging words as they passed each other. Moments later, Zavala was seen walking to his motel room. Approximately one minute later, he exited and approached the victim. Video evidence captured Zavala firing a single gunshot before both men ran from the scene in opposite directions.

Authorities later discovered the victim’s body after he collapsed in a secluded area of the motel property later that morning. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Investigators quickly began piecing together evidence linking Zavala to the shooting.

According to prosecutors, Zavala’s motel room contained a convenience store receipt for an alcoholic beverage. Surveillance video from the store showed Zavala wearing the same clothing seen in the motel footage, further strengthening the case against him. Zavala was taken into custody several days later at a residence in Porterville.

Following a bifurcated trial at the South County Justice Center, a jury returned a guilty verdict on January 16, 2026, convicting Zavala of first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. In a separate phase of the trial, jurors also determined that the killing was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang, meeting the legal criteria for street terrorism, according to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.