Background: News footage of the home in Hanford, Calif., where Vincent Diaz shot Adrian Valdovinos on May 3 (KABC). Inset: Adrian Valdovinos (Facebook).
A rising star in the California boxing circuit was killed by his girlfriend”s ex-husband, who then turned the gun on himself.
Adrian Valdovinos, 25, died of multiple gunshot wounds on Sunday, the victim of a murder-suicide committed by 33-year-old Vincent Diaz. According to the Hanford Police Department, Diaz broke into the Hanford, California, home of his ex-wife during the early morning hours. A 911 call was placed at 4:12 a.m. reporting that a man and a woman were fighting, followed by several gunshots.
As the first officer arrived at the scene, one more shot was fired before the police entered the home.
Hanford Police Lieutenant Justin Vallin told local ABC affiliate KABC that the final shot was the sound of Diaz pulling the trigger while turning the gun on himself. Vallin said officers witnessed Diaz’s final act after he walked past a window at his ex-wife’s home.
Diaz’s ex-wife was unharmed and removed from the home safely. Valdovinos was found dead in the bedroom. Vallin told KABC that the entire incident happened in less than 10 minutes.
KABC reported that Diaz and his former wife had been separated since August 2025. She requested a restraining order against him as recently as March. As a convicted felon, Diaz was also not allowed to own a firearm.
Police said Diaz had no previous interactions with Valdovinos. Vallin told KABC that Diaz planned ahead for Sunday’s tragedy, making arrangements to have someone watch his child then parking 100 yards from his ex-wife’s house. Police said they will continue to investigate.
Neighbors of the ex-wife spoke to KABC and said the couple seemed happy before they separated last year. Craig Avila told KABC, “You used to be able to hear all of them all the time because they’d be singing and having a great time in the house and all that. So, for this to happen… it’s just sad to see.”
