By Gina Yarbrough
Oceanside, CA–The Oceanside Police Department has increased the reward to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the 2016 killing of Brandon Keiser, authorities announced.
The reward, previously $11,000, includes a $1,000 contribution from San Diego County Crime Stoppers and a substantial addition from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, underscoring renewed efforts to resolve the case.
“ATF’s highest priority is protecting the safety and well-being of our community from gun violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper in a statement. “Alongside our trusted partners at the Oceanside Police Department, we are actively pursuing every available resource to identify, investigate, and bring those responsible to justice.”
Keiser, 35, was fatally shot on March 22, 2016. At approximately 10:05 p.m., officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 400 block of South Freeman Street. Upon arrival, they found Keiser lying on the sidewalk in front of 410 S. Freeman St. with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said witnesses described a suspect vehicle as a small, dark-colored four-door sedan with a distinctive red light bar spanning the trunk between the taillights, similar to a 2013–2016 Dodge Dart.
Authorities believe Keiser had just returned home after purchasing food from Domino’s Pizza in downtown Oceanside. Police are seeking witnesses who may have seen or interacted with him at the restaurant or noticed suspicious activity in the surrounding area that night.
Detectives are also exploring a possible link to an attempted homicide that occurred three weeks earlier, on Feb. 27, 2016, in San Marcos near Palomar College. That incident involved a shooting of an adult male around 11 p.m. in the 300 block of Palm Road.
“The Oceanside Police Department remains fully committed to this investigation,” said Police Chief Taurino Valdovinos. “We hope this increased reward will generate new leads and assist us in bringing this case to a resolution.”
Anyone with information on the identity and or location of the person(s) responsible for this
murder is asked to call the Oceanside Police Department’s Investigation Tip Line at (760) 435-4573 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. Anonymous email and text messages can be sent to www.sdcrimestoppers.org.
