FOWLER, Calif. — Late Wednesday afternoon, a calm neighborhood quickly turned into a scene of sorrow when police discovered the bodies of a mother and her son inside their home—a suspected murder-suicide that has left neighbors stunned and mourning.
Seventy-eight-year-old Cheryl Hanoian and her 60-year-old son, James Kelley McFarland, were found with gunshot wounds inside a home in the 600 block of Citrus Avenue. Earlier that evening, dispatchers say, a female caller reported hearing a family member admit to shooting his mother, threatening the household pets, and then planning to end his own life.
When officers first arrived, there was no response from inside the house. A drone was deployed to check for movement before entry was made—ultimately revealing the grim scene: both mother and son dead, and notably, three dead dogs also inside the residence. Authorities believe McFarland shot his mother before turning the gun on himself.
Chief Greg Gularte of the Fowler Police emphasized that the incident appears isolated, with no danger to the wider public. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has since taken over the investigation, working to piece together the events leading up to the tragedy.
In what had been a quiet stretch of 2025, this marks Fowler’s first homicide of the year. Investigators say McFarland had only recently moved back in with his mother after living out of state for some time. At this stage, no clear motive has been determined.
Neighbors describe the block as typically peaceful, with little hint that such a dark turn could unfold just walls away. Many are now left grappling with shock, trying to make sense of a family devastated by violence. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s department or Valley Crime Stoppers.
