One arrest has been reported, while detectives continue reviewing whether the deaths are connected.
STOCKTON, CA — Stockton police are investigating two separate homicides near railroad tracks after two unhoused men in their 40s were found shot within days, including one death that marked the city’s 10th homicide of 2026.
The cases have drawn attention because of their timing, locations and victim profiles. Police have said they do not believe the deadly shootings are connected, but detectives are still working through evidence, witness accounts and the circumstances that led officers to each scene. One case has led to an arrest, while the other remains under investigation.
The first killing was reported May 30 near the railroad tracks north of Swain Road, in the area of the 700 block of East Swain Road. Police said a 46-year-old man was shot and killed there. The victim was identified in local homicide records as an unhoused Stockton resident. Investigators later announced that 38-year-old Andres Lepe had been arrested in connection with the case. Police said homicide detectives took over the investigation after officers responded to the area. The arrest moved that case into a new stage, but police have not released a full account of what led to the shooting, what evidence tied Lepe to the death or whether any weapon was recovered.
The second killing was reported Thursday, June 4, near train tracks in Stockton. Police said the victim was a 43-year-old man who died after being shot. His death was counted as Stockton’s 10th homicide of the year. Authorities have not released the man’s name in the available public reports, and no arrest had been reported in that case as of Tuesday. The exact location of the June 4 shooting has not been fully detailed in the available reports, beyond the area near railroad tracks. Police also have not publicly released a motive, suspect description or statement saying whether the victim was targeted.
The two deaths are part of a broader homicide count that Stockton police and local news outlets have been tracking through the first half of 2026. Both victims were described in available reports as men in their 40s found near railroad tracks with gunshot wounds. The similarity raised questions in the community, but police said they did not believe the shootings were connected. That statement leaves the cases separate unless later evidence changes the direction of the investigations. The railroad corridors involved run through areas with industrial land, housing, roads and open spaces, making witness information and surveillance video important pieces of any review.
In the May 30 case, the arrest of Lepe means prosecutors may next review police reports and evidence for possible charges or court filings. Police have not released a detailed booking summary in the available reports, and it was not clear from those reports whether Lepe had entered a plea. In the June 4 case, detectives are still seeking the facts needed to identify who fired the fatal shot. That work can include canvassing nearby areas, checking cameras, reviewing dispatch audio, interviewing people who were near the tracks and waiting for forensic results from the scene and the medical examiner’s office.
The deaths also highlight the risks faced by people living outdoors in isolated or low-traffic areas. Local reports described both victims as unhoused men. Police have not said that homelessness was a motive in either case, and that remains unknown. Investigators have not publicly tied the killings to robbery, gang activity, a dispute or a random attack. For now, the confirmed facts are narrow: two men were shot near railroad tracks, one man has been arrested in the earlier case, and detectives have not publicly linked the deaths.
As of Tuesday, June 9, the May 30 homicide had produced an arrest, while the June 4 shooting remained an active homicide investigation. The next public milestone is expected to come through police updates, court filings or the release of the second victim’s name by authorities.
Author note: Last updated June 9, 2026.