Erika Lares was shot to death at the Vagabond Inn (PHOTOS)

• Erika Lares, a loving mother of five children, was shot to death.
• Mrs. Lares, 40, was a California crop worker.
• Vicente Williams, 23, was arrested and charged in the brutal crime.

Erika Lares, a loving mother of a large family of five children, was shot to death in a bizarre incident at the Vagabond Inn in California. The Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) arrested Vicente William, 23, for her murder.

According to the BPD Homicide Division, the suspect, Vicente Williams, shot two people at the Bakersfield motel for some reason that is not known at this time. Erika Lares, 40, and Cristóbal Rojas Hernández, 40, both died in the hail of bullets.

Why was Erika Lara killed?

According to the case report, on Sunday, August 14, 2022, the BPD emergency number received a call from several people to report a shooting at the Vagabond Inn at 6500 Colony Street, south of Bakersfield, almost at the border of the city.

When the first BPD officers arrived at the scene, they found Mrs. Erika Lares badly wounded. There was nothing the officers could do for her and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Cristóbal Rojas Hernández was also badly wounded in the shooting.

Paramedics rescue Cristóbal Rojas Hernández

Paramedics from the Bakersfield Fire Department (BPD) responded to the scene of the shooting at the Vagabond Inn to assist Cristobal Rojas Hernandez. He was taken to an area hospital as doctors fought to save his life.

However, Cristóbal Rojas Hernández died on Monday, August 15, 2022 due to the severity of his injuries. With his death, that means the shooter killed two people. Officers arrested the alleged murderer, Vicente Williams, at the scene.

Vicente Williams refuses to speak to the authorities

When Vicente Williams appeared before a judge, accused of the brutal shooting of Erika Lares and Cristóbal Rojas Hernández, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.

Vicente Williams is already in custody but the detectives of the BPD Homicide Division are still investigating the murders of Erika Lares and Cristóbal Rojas Hernández. The detectives ask the Hispanic community that if anyone knows any details of the case, to please contact his office at 661.327.7111. All tips will remain anonymous.

“She was a woman who cared for everyone”

Erika Lares worked harvesting crops in California to support her children. Ana Ramírez, the murdered woman’s sister, started Erika Lares on GoFundMe to raise funds to help the woman’s children meet funeral expenses.

“My sister’s life was taken by a man…who had no remorse for his actions. She was a hardworking woman who cared for all those in need and she never hesitated to help the people she loved. She left behind 5 children who loved her unconditionally. She was always happy and full of energy,” details Ramírez’s plea.

Gun deaths on the rise

The brutal murder of Erika Lares and Cristóbal Rojas Hernández are just two more of the thousands of deaths by firearms. The National Archive on Gun Violence reported that so far in 2022, 27,874 people have already died in shooting incidents.

As of Tuesday, August 16, 2022, of those people shot to death in the United States, a total of 12,760 were killed and 15,114 committed suicide. The country has already suffered 418 mass shootings, in which at least four people were shot dead in the same event.