More than three decades after a young father was found shot dead in his Northern California home, investigators say they have cracked the case. Zachary Jackson, 30, was discovered dead inside his Hayward home on 17 June 1993, though he is believed to have been killed around 14 June. His relatives found his body days later after not hearing from him.
On Monday, Alameda County Sheriff’s Detective Pat Smyth announced that Jackson’s former partner, Veronica Fonseca, and her then-boyfriend, Anthony Fox, have been charged with his murder. “We believe they were both there and that Mr Fox was the one who pulled the trigger,” Smyth said.
At the time of the killing, Fonseca was interviewed several times but investigators found no evidence of her involvement. The case went cold until 2014, when a tip named Fonseca and Fox. However, a roadblock stalled progress. In 2021, another anonymous tip pointed to the same pair, and further investigation this year led to charges.
Fonseca, now 54, was arrested at her home in Queens, New York, and Fox, 56, outside his home in Sioux City, Iowa. Both face charges of murder and first-degree residential burglary, with firearm enhancements. They will be extradited to Alameda County for arraignment.
Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson praised the multi-agency effort, saying, “This is a case that took 32 years to resolve, but murder has no limit on when we can charge you.”
