Deadlock among jurors in the 2020 court case for the murder of Joshua Thao in Fresno
The latest development in the Damion Salinas murder case, which has been ongoing since 2020, took an unexpected turn on Monday, August 19, 2025. A Fresno County jury declared a hung jury, meaning they could not reach a unanimous verdict on the murder charge for the 2020 shooting death of Joshua Thao.
The trial, which took five years to reach court, saw Damion Salinas pleading not guilty to the murder. The prosecution presented surveillance videos purportedly showing the moments before and during the shooting, while the defense argued Salinas acted in self-defense and that the District Attorney's office selectively presented evidence.
The incident occurred in Fresno, California, following an argument at a crash site. According to investigators, Salinas is believed to have shot Thao in the chest.
During closing arguments, the prosecutors insisted that the case was clear-cut murder. They claimed that Joshua Thao had stopped to help friends involved in a collision. However, the jury's inability to reach a verdict suggests that the case may not be as clear-cut as the prosecution claimed.
The hung jury implies no verdict was reached at this time, and further proceedings such as a retrial or other legal actions may follow. Unfortunately, no further details about the evidence submission concerns raised by the defense during the trial were provided.
As the case continues, the community awaits the next steps in this five-year-long legal battle.
