What we know about the victims of the alleged Stockton serial killer

By Joe Hernandez, NPR

Authorities in Northern California say they've arrested a man they suspect of being responsible for at least six murders over the past 18 months.

The Stockton Police Department announced on Saturday that they had arrested 43-year-old Wesley Brownlee on suspicion of homicide.

Police had previously said they were looking for the same suspect in the six homicides and one shooting in which a female victim survived.

Here's what we know about those who were targeted in the attacks in the Stockton, Calif., area:

Juan Vasquez Serrano, 40

Serrano, a Hispanic man, was killed in Oakland on April 10, 2021. He was the only known victim who was shot outside of Stockton.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Serrano was would ride his bike through the Seminary neighborhood of East Oakland and served as a car mechanic-for-hire. He did not have housing, neighbors told the paper, but was well-liked in the neighborhood and would sometimes sleep in cars he was fixing.

Natasha LaTour, 46

LaTour, who is Black, was the only woman targeted in the shootings and the only one of the known victims to survive.

Police said she was shot on April, 16, 2021 in Stockton at 3:20 a.m.

LaTour had been working with detectives to try to identify her attacker. She told police that on the day of the attack, the shooter was wearing a dark colored sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, dark pants and a black face mask.

Paul Yaw, 35

Yaw, who was white, was killed after midnight on July 8 of this year.

Greta Bogrow, his mother, said in a Facebook post that Yaw was also a grandson, brother, cousin, nephew as well as a father to his own son, William.

"He was a sweet boy who grew into a man with a big heart," Bogrow said.

Salvador Debudey Jr., 43

Debudey, who was Hispanic, was killed on Aug. 11 just before 10 p.m.

His wife Analydia Lopez told KCRA 3 News that the pair were married for 12 years and she was shocked by his death.

"To be honest with you, a part of me died with him that day," Lopez said. "It's been hard. It's been really, really hard."

Debudey's daughter, Selena, said her father was unhoused.

Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21

Hernandez Rodriguez, who was Hispanic, died on the morning of Aug. 30. He was the youngest victim.

Hernandez Rodriguez grew up in Stockton and went by "Johnny," his family told KCRA 3 News.

His mother, Viridiana Rodríguez, set up a memorial near the parking spot where Hernandez Rodriguez was shot and killed while sitting in his car. According to the station, the memorial read, in part: "I will always love you and remember you with the love that you always had for us, your parents. You didn't deserve your life to be taken this way."

Juan Cruz, 52

Cruz, who was Hispanic, was killed just before 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 21. He was from Stockton.

Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54

Lopez, who was Hispanic, died in the early morning hours of Sept. 27.

"That was my first love," Betty Gauna, Lopez's ex-wife, told the Chronicle. "He would cook for me. He washed my car before I went to work."

The newspaper reported that Lopez leaves behind two sons and three grandchildren.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.