Man Charged With Murder After Fatal Shooting At Strip Club Near Chico

CHICO (CBS13) — A Tehama County man was arraigned on murder charges after a woman was shot dead in the parking lot of a strip club north of Chico, prosecutors said Tuesday.

According to the Butte County District Attorney's Office, Fernando Palomares, 29, of Vina, was additionally charged with using a handgun in the murder.

The shooting was reported just after 11 p.m. on December 30 at the Centerfolds nightclub along Highway 99. Alicia Flores, 21, was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mike Ramsey, the Butte County District Attorney, said Flores had been at Centerfolds with a friend and Palomares, who was the friend's boyfriend. The three had been there since around 9:40 p.m. and Palomares was seen going in and out of the establishment several times until all three walked out at around 10:36 p.m.

At 11:03 p.m., Flores' friend had re-entered Centerfolds and told a clerk to call 911 as Flores had been shot, prosecutors said. Flores was unresponsive in the backseat of the SUV the trip arrived in.

Palomares had ran from the scene just before his girlfriend reported the shooting but was located hours later at around 4:30. a.m. walking inn the area of Highway 99 and Rowles Road, about seven miles from Centerfolds.

Prosecutors said Palomares had been on parole since May 2021 after being in prison for a 2013 stabbing conviction in Chico. He is being held without bail and faces life in prison.

Palomares is expected to enter a plea for the charges on Thursday.