BUTTE COUNTY - On December 30, 2021, at approximately 11:00 PM, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) received 911 calls from the Centerfolds nightclub along Highway 99. Callers reported that a woman had been shot and was in the parking lot in need of medical attention. Deputies from BCSO, along with officers from the Chico Police Department (CPD) and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the location and found the victim in the parking lot in front of the nightclub. Medical personnel responded to the scene to render aid, however the victim, who was identified as Alicia Flores, 21, of Corning, died at the scene.

During the course of the investigation, a person of interest, who was with Flores at the nightclub, was identified. That subject, Fernando Palomares, 29, of Vina, fled the scene on foot immediately after the shooting. After an extensive search of the remote area surrounding the business, Palomares was located and taken into custody without incident. Palomares was transported to the Butte County Jail where he is being held on a violation of parole.

On December 31, BCSO announced that the investigation is continuing with additional assistance from California Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens who are helping to retrace the path Palomares took when he fled the murder scene. BCSO detectives will be completing the investigation and reviewing the case with the Butte County District Attorney’s Office within the next week.

“CDFW wardens are very familiar with remote areas within their region and the possible encounters that could take place with wildlife.  Their assistance in retracing the path the suspect took, and identifying any possible evidence, could be valuable to investigators and the district attorney.   Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona