August 16, 2022 - Merced – On April 18, 2021, Merced Police Officers responded to the 1400 block of Conestoga Drive in Merced for a shooting. Officers located a 19-year-old 
pregnant female and a 20-year-old male suffering from gunshot wounds. The male was transported to a regional trauma center with life-threatening injuries. Unfortunately, the pregnant female and her unborn child succumbed to their injuries on the scene. The female victim was identified as Tatyanna Mariah Lopez of Los Banos.
Initially, the case had gone cold due to the lack of cooperation from the people involved. Detectives eventually got a break in the case that led them to identify 20-year-old Jonathan Xavier Dorado of Los Banos as the suspect. It was also determined that Lopez was not the intended target of this gang related shooting.
The Merced County District Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for Dorado’s arrest. Detectives worked with agents from the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET) to try and locate Dorado after receiving numerous tips regarding his whereabouts.
Detectives turned to the United States Marshals Service for assistance when it was believed Dorado fled from California to another state. Information later led law enforcement to believe Dorado was hiding in Tijuana, Mexico. U.S. Marshals worked with the local authorities in Tijuana who took Dorado into custody on August 12, 2022. Dorado was turned over to U.S. Marshals and booked into the San Diego County Jail.
Detectives went down to San Diego to conduct an interview with Dorado on the day of his arrest. Dorado was transported to the Merced County Jail the following day. He was booked for two counts of murder, attempted murder, gang enhancements and a probation violation.
Detectives are still working to identify any additional suspects in this case along with anyone who assisted Dorado while he was on the run.
Case Number: 21-22151
Merced Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this incident to contact Detective Pinnegar at 209-388-7712 or by email at pinnegarj@cityofmerced.org.
Other ways to contact us or report crime include:
For any emergency call or text 911
For non-emergency call 209-385-6912
Anonymous Tip Line (Non-emergency) call 209-385-4725
Anonymous Tips online at http://www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org/index.html.
Some crimes can be reported online through the Merced PD website https://www.cityofmerced.org/departments/police.
Source: Merced Police Department
