Francisco Nuñez

Francisco Nuñez, father of eight children, was 38 years old when he was killed. He was last seen March 9, 2024 in custody of deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). Five days later his body was found in an alley 250 feet from where the LASD had been holding him. His family wants answers and justice.

“There is a police term that’s called dumping,” Nuñez family attorney Denisse Gastélum said at a May 2024 press conference outside of the Hall of Justice. “There were handcuffs markings on his body…blunt force trauma to the chest to the head of Mr. Nunez while he was in their custody. And instead of doing what they are hired to do as deputies…they dump him…because they believe the Nunez family wouldn’t catch on.” Photos of Francisco’s body post-autopsy, reviewed by the LA Public Press, clearly showed bruising and apparent burns that the coroner’s autopsy report doesn’t mention.

Initially the County Coroner field investigator at the scene determined there were no signs of foul play. The L.A. County medical examiner, Dr. Sami Souccar, ruled the death as a methamphetamine overdose with abrasions on his knees, face and fingers. However, Francisco’s sisters were told by Robert Fierro Sr., the coroner investigator assigned to the case, that he was sure Francisco had been in a fight and that he had not overdosed on drugs. He said Francisco had not died in the alley, but was placed there and moved twice.

The LASD denies that Francisco was ever in custody, even though multiple eyewitness accounts state that he was detained. Five witnesses said he was beaten severely and placed into handcuffs. The family used the LASD’s Inmate Locator in an attempt to find Francisco, but he was never found in the database. The Nuñez family has documented persistent harassment by LASD. The LA Public Press reporter, who raised questions about the autopsy, was pulled over shortly after meeting with witnesses. The 14-year-old witness who saw the LASD detain Francisco was later shot in the city of Commerce by an East L.A. sheriffs’ patrol.

L.A. homicide detectives Rivas and Leopoldo Sanchez went to the family home to notify them of Francisco’s death. Sanchez has been associated with the Banditos deputy gang. Homicide was involved because of investigator Fierro’s conclusions that Nuñez had died after a fight. In an interview with LAist, Sanchez said he denied being a member, but said he “took a lot of pride” in the controversial East L.A. sheriff station’s “Fort Apache” logo that celebrates police violence. The East L.A. station is responsible for patrolling unincorporated East L.A., as well as the city of Commerce. It has a long history of deputy gangs, including the Banditos.

On the one-year anniversary of his killing a protest was held in Lancaster at the LASD office on March 15, 2025. Several organizations participated, including the family and friends of Francisco Nuñez, Justice for Hugo Cachua, Justice for Chris DeArman, Justice for Eugene Youngblood, Justice for Jimmy Lopez, Dare to Struggle, Families Demanding Justice, Cancel the Contract, journalist Cerise Castle and an Open Police Archives activist.

Cindy Nuñez, Francisco’s sister, is now the vice president of the group United Families For Justice, “dedicated to supporting families who have lost loved ones to police violence and state-sanctioned brutality.” “I’ve filed my complaints with internal affairs, I’ve gone to COC [Civilian Oversight Commission] settings, I’ve met with the Office of Constitutional Policing,” Cindy Nuñez said at the press conference. “It doesn’t stop. We live in fear.” The family has filed a case against the LASD for Francisco’s death.

We call for the release of all L.A. County and LASD reports and records concerning Francisco Nuñez’s custody and death! This includes all bodycam footage of all deputies in the area during that five-day period when Francisco Nuñez was “missing,” as well as the footage from helicopters and surrounding businesses! We condemn the withholding of information and the harassment by Lancaster LASD shouting insults and threats at the family and friends!