DUBLIN, CA — Dublin police have released the name of the victim of the Aug. 23 homicide inside the Emerald Park Apartments, and say they believe it stemmed from an online gaming dispute, according to reports.
Police confirmed to Patch and other outlets that the victim was 37-year-old Michael Dalipe, who was shot in the head and killed at the front door of Dublin home at around 2:20 that afternoon. Suspect Nicholas Paleveda, 38, formerly of Florida and now living in Arizona, initially fled the scene, but was arrested nearly 400 miles southeast in a Walmart parking lot in Barstow the following day. Alameda County prosecutors have charged Paleveda with murder, and he is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail, according to reports.
Paleveda and Dalipe communicated for years over the online gaming platform Discord, according to court documents obtained by different outlets. They had a disagreement right before the shooting, the nature of which police are still investigating.
“We know that they were associates on social media platforms, we just don’t know what those conversations are yet, it takes time to go through those electronics to see what those conversations may be but that’s something we’re definitely looking into,” Dublin Police Chief Nate Schmidt told Pleasanton Weekly.
Dalipe’s wife Cynthia told ABC7 that she and her husband had met Paleveda a few times over 10 years ago at gaming conventions, but she didn’t remember him.
“We were together for 20 years (2004-2024) and were high school sweethearts. He was my rock, my best friend, my soulmate, and especially my caregiver as I have numerous health issues,” Cynthia wrote on a GoFundMe page that has raised $17,353 out of a $20,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon.
“He had a lot of gaming friends who were his second family. We’re all in shock right now and trying to pick up the pieces after this immense loss. It’s now just me and our corgi,” she said. “All of the things I’m finding and receiving that are related to him are beautiful and they are keeping me hopeful; I am trying to focus on remembering the good times as I understand this may be a long court battle.”
