Fresno Leader

Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office have arrested 18-year-old Nicholas Banales of Coalinga and 20-year-old Damian Aguilera of Coalinga.

Banales has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on a charge of murder. His bail is set at $2.15 million. Aguilera, who was already in jail for other unrelated charges, now faces a new charge of conspiracy to commit murder. He is not currently eligible for bail.

On August 2, 2024, detectives with the Sheriff’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (ViCAT) located and arrested Banales in Coalinga. The arrest was the result of a three-and-a-half-month-long investigation where homicide detectives with the Sheriff’s Office worked with Coalinga Police to try and solve a murder. They eventually developed information that identified Banales and Aguilera as suspects. A warrant was authored for Banales' arrest.

At 9:20 pm on Tuesday, April 16th, Coalinga Police officers responded to a report of shots fired on the 200 block of E. Houston Street in the city of Coalinga. Officers found a 16-year-old boy, later identified as Julian Andrade, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to Coalinga Regional Medical Center where he later passed away.

Due to this incident being ruled a homicide, Coalinga Police requested the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office utilize its extensive resources to handle the investigation. Homicide detectives and members of the Crime Scene Unit with the Sheriff’s Office responded to Coalinga to gather evidence and speak with potential witnesses.

The investigation shows Banales approached a home on E. Houston Street and fired multiple rounds into the house, which struck Andrade. Detectives later learned this was not a random act; the suspects and victim knew each other. Banales and Aguilera are gang members; however, Andrade was not a gang member. The motive for the killing is still under investigation.

Although an arrest has been made, if you have additional information about this case, please contact Detective Jesse Gloria at (559) 600-8217, Detective Aurelio Flores at (559) 600-8208 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867, www.valleycrimestoppers.org You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Reference case #24-4351.