Suvechha Sarkar
In February 2015, a tragedy unfolded in Exeter, California, when the life of Daniel Alan Green was cut short due to his brutal murder. The untimely demise of the dedicated police officer, known for his commitment to service, left his family members and the community grief-stricken. The investigation quickly uncovered a deeply troubling narrative pointing towards a person once closest to him. CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Killing of Daniel Green’ takes an in-depth look at the circumstances that led to his death and the investigation that followed. It also features shocking courtroom claims and interviews with law enforcement officials and his loved ones.
Daniel Green Was Shot Dead Inside His Home in California
Daniel Alan Green was born on January 8, 1984, in Tulare County of Lindsay, California, and arrived as a ray of sunshine in his parents’ lives. He and his identical twin brother, Matthew Green, were born within 4 minutes of one another. Their family was further filled with joy when his sister, Misty, was born three years later. Shortly after, Daniel’s mother moved on and married his stepfather. However, in that household, the siblings had to face physical abuse from the latter. Their stepfather was addicted to drugs and alcohol and had a criminal record. Daniel and his siblings’ struggle had reached such a point that their mother had to get a restraining order against him. However, the troubled household only strengthened the bond between the siblings. By the time Daniel was 14, he had decided to become a police officer.
Daniel followed his dreams and was an Exeter police officer for over 10 years. He also enjoyed riding his bike and joined a local motorbike club, Team Flatline. Everything changed when he met Erika Sandoval in 2009. Their relationship soon turned serious, and they shared their forever vows in 2010. However, their relationship was tumultuous, as Erika would sometimes cut the furniture when she was angry. In February 2011, a massive fight between them got both of them arrested for domestic abuse, but neither of them was charged. This was the last straw since the divorce paper filings were all done by January 2012. However, in the spring of the same year, Erika got pregnant with Danie’s child and moved in with him. On January 5, 2013, they welcomed their son, Aiden, into this world.
By June 2013, Daniel had asked her to move out again, but a nasty custody battle began when she took Aiden with her. Despite the problems, they continued spending some nights together, and in January 2015, they even celebrated Aiden’s 2nd birthday together. Although his family assumed they would get back together, he was moving on to a new chapter. Weeks later, he posted on Instagram about his new girlfriend, Brenda Vela. However, everything changed on February 6, 2015. As usual, Daniel dropped Aiden at Erika’s mother’s home and went to the gym. When he came back home and was on the toilet, he was brutally shot. When he didn’t come to work, a fellow police officer went to his home and found him deceased in the bathtub. He was shot four times, but the autopsy determined his cause of death to be from the fatal gunshot wound to his forehead.
A Shocking Confession Led to the Arrest of Daniel Green’s Killer
When Erika heard the news, she rushed to the scene, teary-eyed. When officials questioned her, she denied seeing Daniel that day. As the investigation continued, certain instances came to the forefront. Misty and Matthew informed the police about how they had seen Daniel sometimes cry due to verbal abuse from Erika. His love for his bike was also a point of contention between the ex-couple. One of his biking buddies, Mark Cortes, came forward about an incident when Daniel had run through a red light. When his friend asked him what went wrong, he said his brakes had failed because some of their wires had been cut off. While he suspected Erika, she denied doing so. However, she had admitted that she had just “snipped” some wires. Daniel never informed the police or his family about that incident.
Detectives found that since he made his new relationship official one week prior, Erika had bombarded his phone with 167 calls. Upon checking a neighborhood surveillance camera, they found a female figure entering his home. However, they could not identify who the person was. When Erika was brought in for questioning on February 7, 2015, she began providing conflicting accounts. Officials used the female in the footage as a trick to make her believe they knew it was her. This led her to confess to the crime, and she was arrested on the same day. She was charged with first-degree murder and enhancement for personally and intentionally using a firearm. Detectives also discovered a yellow note with Brenda Vela’s name and birth year in her purse. Erika led the police to the empty area where she had discarded the murder weapon.
It was a Kahr 9 mm gun, originally Erika’s ex-husband’s. Her first trial began on October 1, 2019. She testified and alleged that on February 6, 2015, when she had gone to his home to snoop around, she found two photographs depicting “child pornography.” She claimed to have panicked when she heard his truck and hid in Aiden’s closet. However, Erika alleged that the thought that Daniel might harm her son made her “snap,” and she shot him with his gun. The case went to a jury on November 20, 2019, but a 4-day deliberation led to a hung jury. Erika’s second trial began on February 6, 2025, and she was convicted of first-degree murder and a firearm enhancement charge on May 8, 2025. She was sentenced to 50 years to life imprisonment, comprising 25 years to life for each charge, on June 5, 2025. She will be eligible for an elder parole hearing only after serving 20 years and reaching 50 years of age. Erika is currently serving her time at a California State Correctional Facility.
Read More: Where is Erika Sandoval Now?
