A man is finally behind bars in connection to a murder that occurred five years ago. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office reports that detectives from the Cold Case Unit arrested 29-year-old Angel Romero.

Romero was booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of Murder, Possession of Cocaine for Sale, and Being a Felon in Possession of a Gun and Ammunition. He is being held with a bail of $1.575 million.

Around 7:30 p.m. on March 23, 2019, deputies found 75-year-old Andres Cardenas fatally shot in a plum orchard near East Springfield Avenue and Alta Avenue in Reedley. FCSO says the victim worked as a farm worker for more than 20 years.

At the time of his death, he was helping perform small jobs on his family’s ranch. Since the murder, detectives say they pursued leads to identify a possible suspect. Recently, Cold Case Unit investigators developed new information and evidence that pointed to Romero as the shooter.

On July 21, 2024, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team arrested Romero in Fresno. It is alleged that a 24-year-old Romero fatally shot Cardenas in the orchard during a robbery attempt.