A fitness influencer mom and her business partner were shot and killed by her estranged husband outside a Southern California restaurant where the two met to discuss an upcoming project, according to family members.
Gloria Zamora, 40, and her 43-Hector Garduno were wrapping up a meeting about a new project Sunday night at the strip mall sushi restaurant in the San Bernardino county community of Fontana when they were shot and killed in the parking lot, family members said Tuesday. The suspected shooter, identified by police as her estranged husband, was shot and killed by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy who heard the gunfire, according to police.
Zamora and Garduno died at a hospital.
The fitness instructor amassed a sizeable social media base with 155,000 Instagram followers and 85,000 followers on TikTok, where she posted videos fitness advice directed at other moms. Family members described her as hard-working, dedicated to her family and had big plans for the future.
“I miss my mom so much,” said daughter Jazlynne Zamora, 24. “Nobody saw her Saturday. She was gone for a business meeting. She did a photo shoot and met her business partner because they were going to open up a gym for women.
“I’m just waiting for her to walk in through the door and come in laughing. It’s just so hard.”
In a fundraising post, Jazlynne Zamora said her mother was a “light in her community.”
“My mom was more than just a mother — she was a light in her community,” Jazlynne Zamora said. “She uplifted and inspired countless women, reminding them of their worth, their strength, and their potential. She always said, ‘Women can do anything they set their minds to,’ and she lived those words every day. Her courage, kindness, and determination touched the lives of everyone who knew her.
Police said it was not immediately clear how the shooter knew Zamora was at the strip mall location.
Zamora referenced her relationship days earlier on her ‘HERizon’ podcast. Jazlynne Zamora said the two were together for more than 15 years.
“He was always very abusive to my mom,” Jazlynne said of her step-father. “Mentally and physically and emotionally abusive up until Saturday. Every day was a fight and argument and an issue with my mom.”
Garduno’s family said he is a father of four daughters.
“He was a loving, devoted, and hardworking man that was tragically murdered and gone too soon,” family members said in a fundraising post. “He lived life with strength and did everything he could for his four daughters and family. His passing has left a hole in our hearts and a void in our lives that can never be filled.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
