Podcast Summary: One of Their Own – "The Party"
Host: Katie Hyson (KPBS)
Released: November 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode examines the tragic, controversial death of San Diego police officer Ciara Estrada. After a tense New Year’s Eve party attended by various off-duty officers, Ciara was found dead at home with a bullet wound between her eyes and her service weapon in her lap. Although her department quickly ruled her death a suicide, the family—haunted by relationship turmoil, prior harassment, and procedural questions—doubts this conclusion and believes the investigation was incomplete and compromised by conflicts of interest.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Family's Early Worries and Underlying Tensions

• Astrological Premonitions and Emotional State

  • Julie Estrada, Ciara’s mother, believed the night was “destined for disaster” (00:43).
  • The family sensed Ciara was on edge, influenced by relationship issues and the "wolf moon," an element Julie felt was foreboding (00:43–01:14).

• Ciara and Eric’s Volatile Relationship

  • Brandi Estrada recounts escalating tensions between Ciara and Eric before the party. Alcohol was known to exacerbate their fights (02:26):
    • "She was just tense. They would fight, fight, fight. Alcohol was involved. And then it took it to, like, an unsafe level" (02:26).
  • Brandi claims Ciara did not typically drink heavily, and when she did, she became emotional and confrontational (03:25).

Work-Related Struggles and Alleged Harassment

• Sexual Harassment Complaint
  • The family alleges Ciara was sexually harassed by a male colleague (not Eric) and filed a complaint, but SDPD took no public action (04:32–05:23).
  • Julie: “She pulled me aside and she says, mom, what do you think? … I says, that’s absolutely wrong. You can’t do that” (05:23–05:34).
  • Ciara was upset her complaint was dismissed as “his word against my word” (06:14).

New Year’s Eve Party Events

• Arrival and Mood

  • Eric and Ciara, both off-duty police officers, met other officers at the party. Early on, Ciara appeared “happy, smiling … obviously drinking,” according to her father, Larry (07:33).
  • Toxicology later showed her blood alcohol content was nearly twice the legal driving limit (07:42).

• Escalation at the Party

  • Eric states in his police interview:
    • "This is starting to look like a DV [domestic violence]. So I told Sierra to chill out and stop. CR Sierra is a very fragile and insecure girl. This is why I try not to take her out in public" (08:23).
  • Witnesses describe Ciara crying, storming off, possibly slapping Eric, and persistently calling and texting him (08:38–09:59).

• Desperation and Suicidal Ideation

  • Ciara’s messages and calls to Eric become increasingly frantic. She texts: “goodbye forever” and “leaning on an edge” (09:59).

Friends’ and Family’s Intervention Attempts

• Calls to Jeremy Gates (Friend, Officer)

  • Ciara calls Jeremy, who recalls her sounding “kind of crying, ish, kind of like questioning things … She said, 'I'm by a cliff.'” (12:12–12:33).
  • Jeremy understood her to be “suicidal, 100%,” and he immediately called SDPD Dispatch but was left on hold, then relayed concerns to an SDPD buddy (13:54–14:55).
  • He regrets not being able to do more in the moment (15:41).

• Final Conversations with Mother

  • On the phone with her mom, Ciara says, “I’m standing out here by some ledge” and, “I love him. I always love him,” crying (16:45–17:16).
  • Julie refuses to accept “ledge” as a suicide sign, believing Ciara may have simply wanted to avoid Eric (17:33–18:06).

Timeline Gaps and Record Discrepancies

• Eric’s Statements vs. Phone Records

  • Eric alleges phone calls and exchanges that are not corroborated by Ciara’s phone records—especially regarding final conversations and whether calls were returned or not (20:32–21:04).
  • Texts between Ciara and Eric from that night were deleted. Police claim Ciara deleted them; the family is highly skeptical (23:12–23:35).
    • Julie: "You mean to tell me that someone suicidal is going to delete every text from that night? Bullshit." (23:12)
    • Brandi: "It sounds like somebody else would do that to, like, hide evidence." (23:21)

• Lack of External Oversight

  • Despite the case involving two SDPD officers, the department did not bring in an external agency to investigate (29:40–30:14).
  • Julie: “They were dead set that she committed suicide that night and they were gonna wrap this shit up that night. It's been six years and I still want proof that my daughter killed herself. I don't believe she did. And I want proof." (30:14)

The Aftermath: Discovery and Immediate Investigation

• Discovery of Ciara’s Body

  • Police, Eric, and eventually family, arrive at her apartment the next afternoon. Ciara is found fully dressed, seated in the bathroom with her gun and phone on her lap, having died of a gunshot wound to the forehead (27:36–28:59).
  • Melanie, her squad mate, reports moving the gun and checking for a pulse. There is extensive debate over how the investigation unfolded.

• Ongoing Family Pain and Doubt

  • Family members, especially Julie and Brandi, express ongoing pain and mistrust:
    • Julie: "I still want proof … I don't believe she did [kill herself]. And I want proof." (30:14)
  • They continue to request full access to the case file, including text and phone data, which has been denied (21:04, 24:48).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Julie Estrada (Ciara’s mother):

  • “She seemed kind of melancholy … probably because she had her mind full of what he was giving her that day" (04:10).
  • On harassment: “No, Sarah, I says, that's wrong. I said, that's absolutely wrong. You can't do that." (05:34)
  • “They were dead set that she committed suicide that night and they were gonna wrap this shit up that night. It's been six years and I still want proof that my daughter killed herself. I don't believe she did. And I want proof." (30:14)

• Brandi Estrada (Ciara’s sister):

  • "She was just tense. … They would fight, fight, fight. Alcohol was involved. And then it took it to, like, an unsafe level.” (02:26)
  • On deleted texts: "It sounds like somebody else would do that to, like, hide evidence.” (23:21)

• Jeremy Gates (Friend/former security):

  • “She was suicidal, 100%. There was no doubt in my head. … I just don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t feel like I’m valued. I’m worth anything.” (12:47)
  • “Talk about your stomach just dropping to the floor … so sad. … I felt helpless.” (13:54)
  • “If I could truly play it back, I would have not. I thought giving the information to my buddy would have … You know, at least something would have been done.” (15:41)

• Eric (Boyfriend, as quoted from statement/interview):

  • "This is starting to look like a DV. … CR Sierra is a very fragile and insecure girl. This is why I try not to take her out in public.” (08:23)
  • After Ciara’s emotional texts: “I told her she already knows that I have a key and that she was being dramatic.” (20:32)
  • To Brandi after the party: “I've been calling and texting her. I think she's fine. She's just drunk and big stubborn. She hasn't drove. She's probably home. I told her to text you guys.” (25:07)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Relationship Tension Early Party Prep: 02:26–03:25
• Workplace Harassment Allegations: 04:32–06:14
• At the NYE Party (Photos, Mood): 07:20–08:23
• Party Conflict & Frantic Communication: 08:38–09:59
• Calls to Jeremy Gates (Suicidal Indications): 12:12–14:47
• Family Calls and Emotional Final Conversations: 16:45–18:06
• Eric’s Statements vs. Phone & Text Records: 20:32–23:21
• Family’s Disbelief and Calls for Justice: 23:12–30:31
• Discovery of Ciara’s Body: 27:36–28:59

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is emotionally raw, weaving together family grief, systemic skepticism, and the haunting gaps left by official protocols. While the podcast avoids overt accusations or endorsing conspiracy, it provides a sympathetic platform for the family’s search for answers, foregrounding mistrust in internal police investigations and the enduring pain of ambiguous tragedy.

Memorable closing (Julie Estrada, 30:14):
"It's been six years, and I still want proof that my daughter killed herself. I don't believe she did. And I want proof."

Up Next:
The investigation continues in the next episode.

Note: This summary excludes ad/promo/helpline content and podcast credits, focusing solely on the substantive discussion.