A Modesto man has been convicted for the 2022 shooting death of DoorDash driver Andrew Satavu. The case involved a monthlong search for the suspect and appeals from police to the public, causing significant distress for Satavu’s family and friends.
Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero announced that Mario Esparza, 50, was found guilty last week of second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. Esparza faces a potential life sentence at his hearing on January 5.
Satavu, 56, had completed a food delivery in the 1600 block of Gardenia Road near McHenry Village when he was shot several times around 9:45 p.m. on April 18, 2022. Officers attempted lifesaving measures but Satavu died at the scene.
Authorities said early in the investigation that they were considering whether Satavu had been robbed or confronted in what appeared to be a crime of opportunity. A DoorDash spokesperson described the incident as a “senseless act of violence” and stated that the company was assisting Satavu’s family.
In May 2022, detectives released surveillance footage showing what looked like a late-1990s Toyota Camry driving slowly through the area. Police identified it as a vehicle of interest and requested public assistance to identify it.
Investigators later identified Mario Uriel Esparza as the suspected shooter after reviewing surveillance footage and other evidence. A warrant was issued, and California Highway Patrol officers located Esparza during a traffic stop on Interstate 405 near Carson, about 300 miles from Modesto. He was arrested and booked into Stanislaus County jail on suspicion of murder with an added gun charge.
Police confirmed that Esparza owned the car seen in the surveillance video. Prosecutors reported that Esparza tried to flee toward Mexico before his arrest. During questioning by Detective Doug Ridenour Jr., Esparza confessed to killing Satavu and directed authorities to where he hid the weapon.
Satavu is remembered by family and friends as warm, positive, and hardworking. He is survived by his wife Katia and five children; his youngest child was eight years old at the time of his death.
“He was the best husband. He was a great father,” Katia told The Bee in April 2022. She recalled exchanging “I love you” messages with him shortly before he was killed: “Right till the last few minutes, he knew how loved he was.”
Originally from Fiji, Satavu moved to California at age 17. He coached youth sports, played music, surfed, and encouraged creativity in his children. His son Marcus described him as “a jack of all trades” whose ambition influenced those around him: “That’s one thing — my dad couldn’t stay still,” Marcus said. “He always lived life to the fullest.”
Satavu previously worked at U.S. Foods in Livermore before retiring early after success in investing; he later delivered for DoorDash and Uber Eats to remain active.
Colleagues remembered him for his humor and positive energy during work hours: “Never was a dull moment,” one friend wrote after Satavu’s death.
Esparza will be sentenced on January 5, 2026, at Stanislaus County Superior Court Department 9.
