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NEED TO KNOW
- Veronica Fonseca and Anthony Fox were charged with the 1993 murder of Zachary Jackson in Hayward, Calif.
- Jackson and Fonseca reportedly had two children together prior to his death
- At the time of the alleged murder in 1993, Fonseca and Fox were dating
Three decades after the death of a California man, the mother of his children and her ex-boyfriend have been charged with murder.
Zachary Jackson was fatally shot in his home in Hayward, Calif., on June 17, 1993, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
Now, 32 years later, prosecutors have charged two suspects: Veronica Fonseca, 56, and Anthony Fox, 54.
At the time of Jackson’s murder, according to a report from KTVU, Fonseca and Fox were dating.
Fonseca reportedly shared two children with Jackson, who were aged 1 and 4 in June 1993, per KTVU and CBS News.
Citing police, CBS reported that at that time, Jackson had custody of the 4-year-old, while Fonseca had custody of the 1-year-old.
Police reportedly said they interviewed Fonseca several times in the aftermath of Jackson’s death but had no reason to suspect her of the crime.
Alameda County Sheriff’s Detective Pat Smyth said at a press conference covered by the outlets that the first major break in the case came in 2014, when someone called to report that Fonseca and Fox were responsible for the murder.
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Smyth, according to CBS, said that the case then hit a “roadblock” and was put on hold again for years.
It wasn’t until 2025, per the outlet, that police said they were able to identify multiple cooperating witnesses, leading to the charges against Fonseca and Fox.
“We believe they were both there, and that Mr. Fox was the one who pulled the trigger,” Smyth said, according to KTVU.
CBS reported that Fonseca was arrested in Queens, N.Y., while Fox was arrested in Iowa. Both are awaiting extradition to California.
According to prosecutors, both suspects are facing charges of murder and burglary. It is unclear if either has entered a plea or retained an attorney.
