Man arrested, charged in 'revenge killing' of Bay Area father, Alameda Co. DA says

Lopez blamed Cantu's son for the death of his 16-year-old daughter.

ByLeslie Brinkley KGO logo
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Man arrested in 'revenge killing' of Bay Area father, DA says
The Alameda County DA's office said they arrested and charged a man from Washington with a Bay Area murder in what they called "a revenge killing."

NEWARK, Calif. (KGO) -- The Alameda County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday they've arrested and charged a man from Vancouver, Washington with murder in what they called "a revenge killing."

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley announced murder charges had been filed against 52-year-old Louis Lopez saying Lopez shot and killed Rey Cantu in the driveway of Cantu's Newark home last Friday.

Lopez blamed Cantu's son for the death of his 16-year-old daughter, who passed away two months ago.

What the DA labeled a revenge killing started on Oct. 3, when 16-year-old Danielle Lopez was killed on a San Jose I-680 entrance ramp after a fight with her boyfriend.

"Officers determined there was one female who attempted to cross the roadway and was hit by multiple vehicles," said CHP officer Ramirez.

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Her family sought answers, and according to the Alameda County DA's office, blamed Rey Cantu's son.

"I believe he was looking for the victim's son, who had some type of a relationship with the suspect's family," said Capt. Jonathan Arguello with Newark Police.

The DA said in charging documents that Lopez, the girl's distraught father, confronted Cantu in his driveway as he shot him in the head and the chest, and then fled the scene.

A nearby Ring camera mounted above a garage captured video of the shooting.

"They ultimately tracked him down to the city of San Jose with the assistance of the San Jose Police Department and they were able to take him into custody on Saturday, Dec. 3," Capt. Arguello said.

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The DA's office said they found a handgun and a 30-round magazine, zip ties and duct tape along with the clothes Lopez wore during the shooting inside this apartment building.

When Lopez was arrested, they said he admitted to buying the gun on the street in November for $350.

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Rey Cantu's relatives and friends launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for his family, calling him a devoted dad as they mourn his shooting death.

Lopez will appear in Alameda Superior Court on Wednesday morning.

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