The case now turns toward court as investigators say there is no ongoing threat and the community waits for more details.
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — A two-month homicide investigation into the shooting death of a young mother in Sunnyvale reached a major turning point Monday when police announced the arrests of two men, including the father of her 5-year-old son.
The victim, 24-year-old Kembery Chirinos-Flores of Mountain View, was found shot inside a vehicle on Jan. 7 near 1225 Vienna Drive in the Plaza del Rey area, according to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. Police said the suspects fled before officers arrived. On March 5, detectives arrested Gerzon Chirinos in Sunnyvale and Alfonso Inestroza in Hollister. Both were booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of murder.
The announcement gave fresh shape to a case that had lingered for weeks with few public details. From the start, police described it as a homicide investigation and asked anyone with information to contact Detective Eugene Rosette. Early on, the department said only that officers had responded to a shooting call at about 9:39 p.m. and found an adult woman dead inside a vehicle. Her identity was later released as Chirinos-Flores, a Mountain View resident.
By Monday, authorities were able to say far more. Police identified Chirinos as the victim’s former partner and the father of her child. They said Inestroza, who also uses the name Franquin Inestroza-Martinez, was arrested in a separate operation that involved Sunnyvale SWAT and other agencies. Investigators recovered a shotgun they believe was used in the killing, though they have not publicly assigned the gun to either suspect or said how each man is accused of participating.
Chief of Public Safety Dan Pistor framed the arrests as a step toward accountability, not the end of the case. “These arrests represent an important step toward justice for Kembery and her family,” Pistor said. He also said the department would keep pursuing violent crime cases and credited detectives and partner agencies for carrying out the March 5 operation across county lines.
The agencies named by Sunnyvale included the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, the Santa Clara County Special Enforcement Team, the FBI, the Hollister Police Department, the San Benito County Criminal Apprehension Suppression and Prevention Response Unit, and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. Their involvement suggested the search for the suspects had expanded beyond Sunnyvale well before the arrests were made.
Police disclosed two other details that sharpened public interest in the case. Investigators said Chirinos had a history of domestic violence-related offenses involving a different victim in 2018. They also said Inestroza had an outstanding arrest warrant for an unrelated murder case in New Jersey. Those facts do not answer the biggest remaining questions about motive or sequence, but they help explain why authorities described the case as both serious and complex.
Pistor also spoke about the victim herself, describing Chirinos-Flores as a mother working two jobs to support her family. He said violence like this is rare in Sunnyvale, a point echoed in the department’s statement that the city remains one of the safest in the nation. That message appeared aimed at a community that has watched the case unfold since early January with limited information and no immediate arrest.
At the center of the story is the child left behind. Sunnyvale said Chirinos-Flores is survived by her 5-year-old son. KTVU reported that the boy is now in Child Protective Services custody. Police did not discuss longer-term family arrangements, and that piece of the case is likely to remain private.
The criminal case now appears headed into its next phase. Both suspects are in custody, but investigators say the homicide investigation is still active and ongoing. Police have not announced a court date, detailed charges beyond murder, or explained whether prosecutors may file additional allegations tied to weapons, conspiracy or prior conduct. Those answers are expected to come later through the court process.
For now, what changed on March 5 is clear: a case that began with a woman found dead in a car on Vienna Drive now has two jailed suspects, a recovered shotgun and a public promise from police that they believe the community is no longer under threat.
Author note: Last updated March 10, 2026.