Three decades after the fatal shooting of a California man, prosecutors have charged the mother of his children and her former boyfriend in connection with his death.
Zachary Jackson was shot and killed inside his Hayward, Calif., home on June 17, 1993, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
After 32 years, two suspects have now been charged: Veronica Fonseca, 56, and Anthony Fox, 54.
At the time of the killing, KTVU reports that Fonseca and Fox were romantically involved.
Fonseca shared two children with Jackson, who were just 1 and 4 years old in June 1993, according to KTVU and CBS News. Police records cited by CBS indicate that Jackson had custody of the 4-year-old while Fonseca had custody of the 1-year-old.
Authorities say Fonseca was interviewed multiple times after Jackson’s death, but investigators initially found no reason to suspect her involvement.
A major development came in 2014, when an individual contacted police and claimed that Fonseca and Fox were responsible for Jackson’s murder, Alameda County Sheriff’s Detective Pat Smyth said during a press conference covered by the outlets.
According to CBS, the investigation then stalled and remained inactive for several years.
In 2025, police said they located multiple cooperating witnesses, which ultimately led to the charges against Fonseca and Fox.
“We believe they were both there, and that Mr. Fox was the one who pulled the trigger,” Smyth said, per KTVU.
CBS reports that Fonseca was arrested in Queens, N.Y., and Fox was taken into custody in Iowa. Both are awaiting extradition to California.
Prosecutors say the pair face charges of murder and burglary. It remains unclear whether either suspect has entered a plea or obtained legal representation.
