BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Local law enforcement officials have their hands full today as they investigate four homicides that happened this past weekend.
As multiple investigations get underway, 17's Kurt Kelsey takes a look at the current homicide rate compared with previous years.
Friday afternoon the body of Jose Aragon Meraz was found in a vinyard south of Delano.
Then, Saturday a 16-year-old boy was shot to death in Delano.
Sunday morning Louis Fimbres was shot and killed in Shafter.
Finally, sunday night, in southwest bakersfield, 43-year-old Juan Ramirez was killed by at least one gunshot wound to the chest.
"We've been busy the last 48 hours, I can say that," said Gary Williams, Sergeant with the Kern County Sheriff's Office.
It may seem as though this year has been a record year for killings, but in the city of Bakesfield, homicide numbers have gone down.
By Sept. 22 of 2012, there were 25 homicides with 12 known to be gang related. In 2013 there were 23 homicides, 10 being gang related. So far, this year there have been 15 homicides with 4 being gang related.
Officials said that each case is still being investigated and that no arrests have been made.