Anthony Raygoza Sr.

Anthony Joe Raygoza Vadillo was a father, a brother, and a fixture in the lives of the people who knew him. The Raygoza and Vadillo names both lived in his — the full legal name he carried connected him to his father Joe Vadillo, to Great Aunt Barbara (Raygoza) Zepeda, and to a family line that ran through both Santa Maria, California and Yuma, Arizona.

He was the husband of Emma Garcia. He was the father of Antoinette, Anthony Jr., Erica, and Dario. He was Debbie Garcia's brother, which made him uncle to Bear, Joseph, and Stephanie Vázquez. The Raygozas held family reunions at the home in Yuma — the kind of gatherings the family still speaks about by name.

In February 2012, Anthony lost his daughter Antoinette to an act of domestic violence. He stood for her. He spoke for her in court. He was present at the 2014 memorial at Waller Park, planting a white alder tree in her memory beside the duck pond she loved. Later that same year — September 2014 — Anthony himself passed away, in Santa Maria. His obituary lives on the Santa Maria Times as Anthony Joe Raygoza Vadillo.

This page was built so his name stays on the internet. Not a news article. Not a record behind a paywall. A memorial — permanent, no subscription, no expiration. He was real. This page makes sure the people who search for him can find that out.

In February 2013, at the sentencing of the man who killed his daughter Antoinette, Anthony spoke directly to Superior Court Judge Edward Bullard:

"I don't know if you're a father, but if you think that's what he deserves, let him have it." — Anthony Raygoza Sr., at sentencing, Santa Maria Superior Court

At the plea hearing in late January 2013, speaking about the prosecutor:

"It looks like she just gave into a plea." — Anthony Raygoza Sr., at the plea hearing

These words aren't easy to read. They are also exactly why he is remembered the way he is. A father stood for his daughter, publicly, on the record, when he had every reason to walk away.

Anthony's family lived in both Santa Maria, California and Yuma, Arizona. His daughter Antoinette was born in Santa Maria, raised in Yuma, and came back to Santa Maria at thirteen. The Raygoza family held reunions at their home in Yuma — Great Aunt Barbara Zepeda recalled visiting for one in her condolence message.

Both cities claim him. Both cities remember him.

Anthony's sister Debbie Garcia — Deborah Mahony — is still in Santa Maria. She raised three children: Joseph, Stephanie, and Mark "Bear" Vazquez. Bear founded My Legacy Continues in 2026 — part of the reason this page exists.

Anthony's children carry his name forward. His grandchildren will too. Family reunions still happen. The Raygoza and Vadillo lines still sit at the same tables.

A man stands for his family. Then his family stands for him. That's how a line continues.

Anthony Raygoza Sr.'s story is preserved here from public record. His obituary — Anthony Joe Raygoza Vadillo — is published on the Santa Maria Times. His daughter Antoinette's case is documented in court records from Santa Maria Superior Court, February 2013.

Preserved by My Legacy Continues. Sourced from public obituaries, court records, family testimony, and Great Aunt Barbara Zepeda's condolence message. If you are family and want to add a memory, photo, or correction, email contact@mylegacycontinues.com.