Police stumped by brothers’ murders

Chico police are re-examining the cold-case murder of Audelino Valladares-Mata nearly six years ago following the recent shooting death of his brother, Jerónimo Valladares-Mata.

Lt. Mike O’Brien said both Tehama County men “have very squeaky clean backgrounds” and that a common motive has not been found. Audelino Valladares-Mata, 51, of Los Molinos, was shot to death in the summer of 2007 while installing a manufactured home at a trailer park on Henshaw Avenue. He was slain in the early morning, as his son worked nearby. A composite sketch of a Hispanic suspect in his mid-20s (pictured) was released, but no suspect was ever found.

Jeronimo Valladares-Mata, 52, of Corning, was found in the late afternoon on April 6 in the driver’s seat of a small pick-up truck parked at a trailer park on The Esplanade. He’d been shot in the head and succumbed to his injuries on Friday, April 12.