Cops ID shooting victim

Police on Tuesday released the name of the victim in Porterville’s second homicide of the year — more than a week after he was gunned down outside of Sunshine Market.

Juan Manuel Castellanos-Alvarado, 35, of Porterville, died Aug. 27 from injuries suffered during an afternoon shooting witnessed by dozens of people in front of the South Main Street market.

Police last week said they were not releasing the name of the victim because department officials were not certain all of the appropriate next of kin had been notified of the manÂ’s death.

After the shooting, Castellanos-AlvaradoÂ’s name first appeared in The Recorder on Aug. 29 as a pending obituary notice.

Porterville Police Department Sgt. Mike Blain on Tuesday said police believe Castellanos-Alvarado was the intended victim of the shooting.

According to police, numerous witnesses saw a dark primer-colored, sun-damaged, four-door sedan occupied by five males drive into the marketÂ’s east parking lot at 227 S. Main St.

Police said the suspects stopped near the victim and engaged in a brief conversation, then shot the man. Officials said the Porterville resident was shot in his upper torso.

Castellanos-Alvarado was buried Monday after a graveside service at Palm Cemetery, in Las Vegas.

Blain said police are not releasing additional information at this time, and the case remains under investigation.

The Aug. 27 shooting is PortervilleÂ’s second homicide of the year. The body of Clenon Ian Williams, 21, was found by passers-by on Aug. 2 in Porter Slough near the intersection of F Street and Oak Avenue.

Anyone with information about the shooting on Aug. 27 in front of Sunshine Market is asked to call Detective Bryan Clower at 782-7412. Clower is also seeking information about the Williams homicide.