Storage Unit of Slain DJ Gio Burglarized A Second Time

Courtesy Photo: Razo with recovered stolen goods from the 2023 theft.

A recent burglary at a SmartStop Self Storage facility on Garden Highway in Sacramento has left Anita Razo, the mother of famed DJ Gio who was murdered in 2022, with a broken heart all over again. This is the second time her slain son’s belongings have been stolen. 

At 11 years old, DJ Gio, real name Giovanni Razo Pizano, told his mother that one day he would become a famous DJ. To hone his skills, he began playing at house parties and school events, eventually making a name for himself and playing concerts and venues to crowds of over 10,000. In April 2022 at 31 years old, he was shot and killed outside his home in North Natomas.

Razo first placed his belongings with a SmartStop Self Storage located on Pell Circle in Sacramento. On January 3, 2023, she discovered the theft when she approached the unit and found the door opened and items strewn about. At the time, she said she believed it was an “inside job” targeting her son as no other units had been damaged. She figured she’d lost about $250,000 worth of valuables, including items she intended to donate to a nonprofit foundation that carries her son’s memory.

At the time, manager Tyler Smith confirmed that no other units were robbed but was not able to provide any other information, other than to say that facility cameras and security systems were working at the time but there were some damaged doors (SmartStop has recently taken over the property from Public Storage and had yet to make those repairs).

Less than a week later, detectives from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office located a large amount of stolen property, including DJ equipment and designer clothing, and were able to determine that the items had belonged to Gio. They worked with the Sacramento Police Department to contact Razo and return the stolen items to her.

Unfortunately, it has happened all over again, and this time – along with equipment – she’s lost many cherished items as well.  “It’s very hurtful that I have to go through this again or that my family has to go through this again,” Razo told a local news station. “It’s like it wasn’t enough for community violence to take my son. They have to come back and take what little is left of him.”

“I’m angry about it,” she continued. “I’m tired of good people working hard like my son. He worked so hard to buy the things that he had, and then here comes somebody that doesn’t want to do anything. They don’t want to work for the things that they steal.”

Razo and her family are asking for answers in the case or for the suspects to simply return the personal items with no questions asked.

MSM reached out to the SmartStop location where the most recent theft occurred but was unable to connect with anyone at the store-level for comment.