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Tag: Stockton

  • ‘Wrong place at the wrong time’: Man caught in massive Stockton sideshow bust says he was wrongfully arrested at gunpoint

    ‘Wrong place at the wrong time’: Man caught in massive Stockton sideshow bust says he was wrongfully arrested at gunpoint

    (FOX40.COM) — Nearly 90 vehicles were recently towed at a massive sideshow bust in Stockton, and one man said he was at the wrong place at the wrong time when he was held at gunpoint by law enforcement and his vehicle seized.
    •Video Above: Sheriff who seized 88 vehicles at sideshow says he’s waiting for approval of search warrants

    It was about 10 p.m. on Feb. 3 when 25-year-old Merced resident, Isaac Cervantes, who was only in town for a night, said he left his hotel to fill up his gas tank before work. He said he works as a mechanic for a non-profit organization that helps low-income families with SMOG repairs. Still in his work uniform, he said he headed to the gas station located seven minutes from his hotel.

    “I had to be at work at 5 a.m. I was prioritizing everything, so I decided to get gas the night before to have more time in the morning,” Cervantes told FOX40.com.

    After leaving the station Cervantes said he was stopped by the sight of smoke coming from the nearby intersection.

    “I thought there was an accident and that something was on fire because of all the smoke. I thought maybe someone needed help,” Cervantes said. “As a mechanic, it’s in my nature to help people in need. If I see someone with a flat tire or a car overheating, I’m going to stop and see if I can help.”

    Cervantes said his work-assigned trip to Stockton was his first visit to the city.

    “I never really heard of sideshows. I saw some stuff online, but I didn’t know that people had them in the middle of streets and neighborhoods,” Cervantes said.

    Cervantes said that as he got closer to the sideshow scene, he realized there was no fire and that something else was going on. It was the sideshow. He said he attempted to drive away from the area, but it was too late. Before he could leave, he said he was stopped in the middle of an intersection by flashing lights and the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office deputies with their guns drawn and pointed at him.

    “They ordered me to stop and get out of the vehicle. They had guns pointed at me with their dogs barking,” Cervantes said. “I remained calm and followed their instructions. I assured myself that I’d show them my work stuff, my hotel information, and my work email that showed I was only there on business and then everything would be okay.”

    But Cervantes said that’s not what happened. They would not look at the information on his phone or direct him to the sheriff in charge of the operation.

    “They wouldn’t hear me out. They put me in handcuffs for two hours and then took my work truck,” Cervantes said. “Everything was so unorganized and chaotic. Nothing was investigated properly.”

    Cervantes said he was not aware that sideshows were an issue in that area since he isn’t a local resident. After learning about the problem, he said it’s good that law enforcement is trying to crack down on them, but there needs to be “due diligence.”

    “My rights were violated. I was arrested for two hours and not even given a citation,” Cervantes said. “I feel robbed. I feel like I’m facing punishment for someone else’s actions.”

    He added, “I would have been okay if I was cited so that I can show up to court and talk to a judge. But the sheriff’s office hasn’t given any information. I don’t know what I’m being charged with, who to talk to, or what the next steps are. My rights were taken from me. They should reconsider their approach.”

    Cervantes said that besides being a mechanic, he’s also a college student. Since the incident, he’s had to find alternate transportation to work and school and has not been given access to his tools, books, and laptop that we were in his work vehicle at the time of the tow.

    “They looked at me in my mechanic’s uniform and accused me of making repairs to the cars in the show,” Cervantes said. “They judged me because of how I look and took my livelihood. Would it have been different if I were in a suit and tie?”

    Cervantes said that this was his first time in Stockton and hopefully the last. He said he told his boss, who picked him up from the scene, that he had no desire to accept future work in the city because of how he was treated by law enforcement.

    He said he is currently working on securing legal representation.

    “I really don’t want to go down this legal rabbit hole,” Cervantes said. “I want the sheriff’s office to apologize and give me my way of like back.”

    Since the incident, San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said to “stop calling” because no one is getting their vehicles back anytime soon.

    “Those vehicles will be held until their court cases have been settled with the district attorney’s office,” Withrow said. “They won’t be released anytime soon unless the DA (District Attorney) has settled your case. No need to keep calling. Your vehicles will stay with us. Therefore, they can’t be used in any more public nuisance or sideshows.”

    As of Feb. 9, the sheriff said the vehicles are being “held as evidence” and that he’s waiting on a local judge to sign off on 88 search warrants in attempts to find illegal items inside the vehicles. Charges have yet to be filed.

    FOX40 reached out to San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office for comment but has yet to receive a response.



    Veronica Catlin

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  • ‘Atmospheric river’ dumps heavy rain, snow across California

    ‘Atmospheric river’ dumps heavy rain, snow across California

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A powerful storm Saturday ushered in the new year in California, with much of the state witnessing drenching rain or heavy snowfall that was snarling traffic and closing highways.

    In the high Sierra Nevada, as much as 2 feet (0.6 meters) of snow could accumulate Saturday into early Sunday. The National Weather Service in Sacramento warned about hazardous driving conditions and posted photos on Twitter showing traffic on snow-covered mountain passes, where vehicles were required to have chains or four-wheel drive.

    The so-called atmospheric river storm was pulling in a long and wide plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean, and flooding and rock slides triggered by the storm closed portions of roads across northern California.

    Weather service meteorologist Courtney Carpenter said the storm could drop over an inch of rain Saturday in the Sacramento area before moving south. One ski resort south of Lake Tahoe closed chair lifts because of flooding and operational problems, and posted a photo on Twitter showing one lift tower and its empty chairs surrounded by water.

    “We’re seeing a lot of flooding,” Carpenter said.

    The Stockton Police Department posted photos of a flooded railroad underpass and a car that appeared stalled in more than a foot (30 centimeters) of water.

    The rain was welcomed in drought-parched California, but much more precipitation is needed to make a significant difference. The past three years have been California’s driest on record.

    A winter storm warning was in effect into Sunday for the upper elevations of the Sierra from south of Yosemite National Park to north of Lake Tahoe, where as much as 5 feet (1.5 meters) of snow is possible atop the mountains, the National Weather Service said in Reno, Nevada.

    A flood watch was in effect across much of Northern California through New Year’s Eve. Officials warned that rivers and streams could overflow and urged residents to get sandbags ready.

    Some rainfall totals in the San Francisco Bay Area topped 4 inches (10 centimeters).

    The state transportation agency reported numerous road closures, including Highway 70 east of Chico, which was partially closed by a slide, and the northbound side of Highway 49, east of Sacramento, which was closed because of flooding. In El Dorado County, east of Sacramento, a stretch of Highway 50 was closed because of flooding.

    Humboldt County, where a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck on Dec. 20, also saw roadways begin to flood, according to the National Weather Service’s Eureka office. A bridge that was temporarily closed last week due to earthquake damage may be closed again if the Eel River, which it crosses, gets too high, officials said.

    It was the first of several storms expected to roll across California over the next week. The current system is expected to be warmer and wetter, while next week’s storms will be colder, lowering snow levels in the mountains, said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

    The Sacramento region could receive a total of 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 centimeters) of rain over the span of the week, Chandler-Cooley said.

    “Strong winds could cause tree damage and lead to power outages and high waves on Lake Tahoe may capsize small vessels,” the weather service in Reno said.

    Avalanche warnings were issued in the backcountry around Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes south of Yosemite.

    On the Sierra’s eastern front, flood watches and warnings continue into the weekend north and south of Reno, Nevada, where minor to moderate flooding was forecast along some rivers and streams into the weekend.

    In Southern California, moderate-to-heavy rain was falling Saturday. The region will begin drying out on New Year’s Day and the Jan. 2 Rose Parade in Pasadena should avoid rainfall.

    Another round of heavy showers were forecast for Tuesday or Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Oxnard said.

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  • Prosecutor: 4 more slayings tied to California serial killer

    Prosecutor: 4 more slayings tied to California serial killer

    STOCKTON, Calif. — A man suspected in Northern California serial killings has been charged in four additional slayings this week, bringing the total to seven deaths since April 2021, authorities said.

    The shootings terrorized the Central Valley city of Stockton earlier this year as police searched for a man clad in black who appeared to be “on a mission” as he hunted victims for ambush-style shootings. He was also tied violence in Alameda County.

    Wesley Brownlee was arrested in October when he “was out hunting” for another possible victim in Stockton, police said at the time. Authorities had said they had linked him to the killings of six men and the wounding of a woman. Prosecutors charged him in a seventh killing, which had not been disclosed before, on Tuesday.

    Brownlee is set to appear in court Jan. 3. His public defender, Allison Nobert, did not immediately return a request for comment.

    Brownlee was initially only charged in the deaths of three victims in Stockton: Jonathan Rodriguez Hernandez, 21, who died Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who died Sept. 21; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, who died Sept. 27.

    The amended complaint, filed Tuesday, additionally charges Brownlee with the killings of Paul Yaw, 35, who died July 8, and Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, who died Aug. 11, in Stockton, as well as the Alameda County fatal shootings of Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, on April 10, 2021, and Mervin Harmon on April 16, 2021.

    He is also charged with attempted murder in the April 16, 2021, shooting of Natasha LaTour, 46.

    Harmon had not previously been publicly linked to Brownlee’s spate of shootings.

    Additional details about Harmon’s death were not immediately available.

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  • Police: Suspect in serial killer slayings used ghost gun

    Police: Suspect in serial killer slayings used ghost gun

    Police say a suspect in the killing of three men who police have said were among six victims of a serial killer in Northern California may have used a firearm without a serial number, also known as a ghost gun

    STOCKTON, Calif. — A suspect in the killing of three men who police have said were among six victims of a serial killer in Northern California may have used a firearm without a serial number, also known as a ghost gun, police said.

    Wesley Brownlee, 43, was arrested on Oct. 15. Police had been conducting surveillance on him as he drove through the streets of Stockton and officials said he was armed with a handgun and may have been “out hunting” for another victim.

    Brownlee was charged Tuesday with three counts of murder, one count of a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of ammunition. He is also suspected in the fatal shootings of three other men and the wounding of a woman dating back to April 2021.

    A convicted drug offender, Brownlee was barred from owning a gun and he allegedly “used a ghost gun” to carry out the slayings, Stockton police department spokesperson Joseph Silva told the San Francisco Chronicle Thursday.

    When announcing the charges against Brownlee, San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said the suspect was in possession of a “polymer” gun when police arrested him.

    Generally, firearms manufactured by licensed companies are required to have serial numbers – usually displayed on the frame of the gun – that allow officials to trace the gun back to the manufacturer, the firearms dealer and original purchaser.

    Ghost guns are often assembled from parts of several weapons, and can be difficult to trace. Some are sold in do-it-yourself kits and the receivers are typically made from metal or polymer.

    Brownlee is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 14 for further arraignment. The judge has assigned a public defender. The public defender’s office has not returned a message seeking comment.

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  • California man charged in 3 slayings linked to serial killer

    California man charged in 3 slayings linked to serial killer

    STOCKTON, Calif. — Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a Northern California man with fatally shooting three men whom police have said were among six victims slain by a serial killer over the past year and a half.

    Wesley Brownlee, 43, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of killing six men and wounding a woman in a series of shootings dating back to April 2021. Police had been conducting surveillance on him Saturday as he drove through the streets of Stockton, armed with a handgun and possibly “out hunting” for another victim.

    The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday filed three counts of murder, one count of a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of ammunition. Brownlee, a truck driver who had recently moved to Stockton from Oakland, was only charged in three recent slayings in Stockton.

    District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said she expects to file additional charges in two other murders in Stockton, as well as an attempted murder. Another killing occurred last year in Oakland, which is located in Alameda County.

    “There are some people who are just simply too dangerous to share the streets with you and I,” Verber Salazar said at a press conference after Brownlee’s arraignment.

    Brownlee did not enter a plea Tuesday and was scheduled to return to court on Nov. 14 for further arraignment. The judge assigned him a public defender. The public defender’s office did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

    Detectives are still seeking tips from the public because Brownlee might be linked to more crimes, Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said.

    “We’re going to stay tenacious, we don’t know how many cases there are,” McFadden said.

    The firearm found in Brownlee’s possession during his arrest is of a similar caliber to the one that was used in the violence. Authorities believe the same gun was used in the slayings of the three men and are testing it to determine whether it was used in the other shootings.

    Verber Salazar would not say whether Brownlee knew any of the victims personally.

    It was not immediately known if Brownlee has an attorney who can comment on his behalf. He is being held in jail without bail.

    Authorities previously described the suspect — now identified as Brownlee — as a serial killer who was “on a mission” but did not appear to have a clear motive in who he targeted for his crimes. Investigators have said ballistics tests and video evidence linked the shootings.

    The five men killed in Stockton this year were Paul Yaw, 35, who died July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, who died Aug. 11; Jonathan Rodriguez Hernandez, 21, who died Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who died Sept. 21; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, who died Sept. 27. Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, was killed in Oakland on April 10, 2021, and Natasha LaTour, 46, was shot in Stockton on April 16 that year but survived.

    The criminal complaint filed Tuesday only lists charges for the killings of Rodriguez, Cruz and Lopez.

    Brownlee grew up in Oakland and has a criminal history that includes traffic violations and convictions for drug crimes in Alameda County that goes back to an arrest when he was 15 years old , according to The East Bay Times. He was most recently discharged from parole in 2006.

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  • Suspect in California serial killer case arrested while

    Suspect in California serial killer case arrested while

    Suspect in California serial killer case arrested while “out hunting” – CBS News


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    Stockton police arrested a suspect in the deaths of at least six people in Northern California. They said 43-year-old Wesley Brownlee was in his car and looking for another potential victim when he was taken into custody. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.

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  • Man arrested in serial killings has criminal history

    Man arrested in serial killings has criminal history

    STOCKTON, Calif. — A man suspected of killing six men and wounding a woman in a series of shootings in Northern California has a criminal history that includes traffic violations and convictions for drug crimes, authorities said Monday.

    Stockton police arrested Wesley Brownlee, 43, on Saturday after surveilling him as he drove through the streets of the city, armed with a handgun and possibly searching for another victim, police said.

    In January 1999, Brownlee was sentenced to two years in prison in Alameda County for possessing and selling a controlled substance, the California corrections department said. He was released on parole in August 1999 after serving seven months.

    Brownlee was again convicted in Alameda County in December 2001 and sentenced to three years for the same crime. He was released to parole in May 2003 and was discharged from parole three years later.

    Public records from San Joaquin County show Brownlee has two traffic violations in 2021 and 2022, along with a felony in 2017 and a DUI in 2009, KCRA-TV reported.

    San Joaquin County prosecutors worked Monday with the Stockton Police Department to review the evidence and expect to file charges Tuesday, said Elisa Bubak, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County prosecutor’s office.

    It was not immediately known if Brownlee has an attorney who can comment on his behalf.

    Police said after Brownlee’s arrest that he was dressed in black, had a mask around his neck and a handgun, and “was out hunting” for another possible victim when he was arrested while driving around the Central Valley city, where five men were ambushed and shot to death between July 8 and Sept. 27. Four were walking, and one was in a parked car.

    Police believe the same person was responsible for killing a man 70 miles (110 kilometers) away in Oakland in April 2021 and wounding a woman in Stockton a week later.

    Investigators have said ballistics tests and video evidence linked the crimes. A police photo showed the black and gray weapon allegedly carried by the suspect. It appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun containing some nonmetallic materials.

    At Saturday’s news conference, a moment of silence was held for the victims.

    Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, was killed in Oakland on April 10, 2021, and Natasha LaTour, 46, was shot in Stockton on April 16 that year but survived. The five men killed in Stockton this year were Paul Yaw, 35, who died July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, who died Aug. 11; Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, who died Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who died Sept. 21; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, who died Sept. 27.

    After receiving hundreds of tips, investigators located and watched the place where Brownlee was living. They watched his patterns, determined he was out searching for another victim and arrested him, authorities said.

    Police said some victims were homeless, but not all. None were beaten or robbed, and the woman who survived said her attacker didn’t say anything.

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  • California city rests easier after serial killings arrest

    California city rests easier after serial killings arrest

    STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) — Residents of Stockton, California, were able to rest easier following the weekend arrest of a man suspected of killing six men and wounding a woman in a series of shootings over a period of three months in Northern California, the city’s mayor said Sunday.

    Mayor Kevin Lincoln said he shed tears of relief when he was informed that the suspect who police believe had terrorized Stockton since July was taken into custody around 2 a.m. Saturday.

    Wesley Brownlee was dressed in black, wore a mask around his neck, had a handgun and “was out hunting” for another possible victim when he was arrested while driving around the Central Valley city, where five of the shootings took place, Police Chief Stanley McFadden said at a Saturday news conference.

    “The city was able to sleep a little bit better last night,” Lincoln said Sunday morning. “No resident of this city should have to walk around town looking over their shoulder in fear.”

    The mayor credited residents of Stockton who called in hundreds of tips to investigators that eventually led to the arrest of the 43-year-old suspect.

    It wasn’t immediately clear on Sunday whether Brownlee, of Stockton, had an attorney to speak on his behalf. He was expected to be arraigned Tuesday on murder charges.

    “This person caused a lot of hurt, caused a lot of trauma,” Lincoln said. “My prayer, my hope, as mayor is that our community begins the process of healing as a result of the serial killings.”

    Police had been searching for a man clad in black who was caught on video at several of the crime scenes in Stockton, where five men were ambushed and shot to death between July 8 and Sept. 27. Four were walking, and one was in a parked car.

    Police believe the same person was responsible for killing a man 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in Oakland in April 2021 and wounding a homeless woman in Stockton a week later.

    Investigators have said ballistics tests and video evidence linked the crimes. A police photo showed the black-and-gray weapon allegedly carried by the suspect. It appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun containing some nonmetallic materials.

    At Saturday’s news conference, a moment of silence was held for the victims.

    Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, was killed in Oakland on April 10, 2021, and Natasha LaTour, 46, was shot in Stockton on April 16 of that year but survived. The five men killed in Stockton this year were Paul Yaw, 35, who died July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, who died Aug. 11; Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, who died Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who died Sept. 21; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, who died Sept. 27.

    Police said Brownlee has a criminal history and is believed to have also lived in several cities near Stockton, but they did not give further details.

    After receiving hundreds of tips, investigators located and watched the place where Brownlee was living.

    “Based on tips coming into the department and Stockton Crime Stoppers, we were able to zero in on a possible suspect,” McFadden said. “Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving.”

    Investigators watched his patterns and determined that he was out searching for another victim, the chief said.

    “We are sure we stopped another killing,” he said.

    McFadden added that Brownlee was detained after engaging in what appeared to be threatening behavior, including going to parks and dark places, stopping and looking around before driving on.

    Investigators were still processing evidence and trying to identify a motive for the attacks, Officer Joseph Silva, a police spokesperson, said Sunday. Police said some victims were homeless, but not all. None were beaten or robbed, and the woman who survived said her attacker didn’t say anything.

    The police chief thanked various local, state and federal agencies that took part in the investigation, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

    Local investigators had also worked with police in Chicago to determine whether the killings might be linked to two 2018 murders in that city’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Authorities said videos of suspects showed a man in black with a distinctive walk.

    However, Chicago police said Friday that there didn’t appear to be any link.

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  • California city rests easier after serial killings arrest

    California city rests easier after serial killings arrest

    STOCKTON, Calif. — Residents of Stockton, California, were able to rest easier following the weekend arrest of a man suspected of killing six men and wounding a woman in a series of shootings over a period of three months in Northern California, the city’s mayor said Sunday.

    Mayor Kevin Lincoln said he shed tears of relief when he was informed that the suspect who police believe had terrorized Stockton since July was taken into custody around 2 a.m. Saturday.

    Wesley Brownlee was dressed in black, wore a mask around his neck, had a handgun and “was out hunting” for another possible victim when he was arrested while driving around the Central Valley city, where five of the shootings took place, Police Chief Stanley McFadden said at a Saturday news conference.

    “The city was able to sleep a little bit better last night,” Lincoln said Sunday morning. “No resident of this city should have to walk around town looking over their shoulder in fear.”

    The mayor credited residents of Stockton who called in hundreds of tips to investigators that eventually led to the arrest of the 43-year-old suspect.

    It wasn’t immediately clear on Sunday whether Brownlee, of Stockton, had an attorney to speak on his behalf. He was expected to be arraigned Tuesday on murder charges.

    “This person caused a lot of hurt, caused a lot of trauma,” Lincoln said. “My prayer, my hope, as mayor is that our community begins the process of healing as a result of the serial killings.”

    Police had been searching for a man clad in black who was caught on video at several of the crime scenes in Stockton, where five men were ambushed and shot to death between July 8 and Sept. 27. Four were walking, and one was in a parked car.

    Police believe the same person was responsible for killing a man 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in Oakland in April 2021 and wounding a homeless woman in Stockton a week later.

    Investigators have said ballistics tests and video evidence linked the crimes. A police photo showed the black-and-gray weapon allegedly carried by the suspect. It appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun containing some nonmetallic materials.

    At Saturday’s news conference, a moment of silence was held for the victims.

    Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, was killed in Oakland on April 10, 2021, and Natasha LaTour, 46, was shot in Stockton on April 16 of that year but survived. The five men killed in Stockton this year were Paul Yaw, 35, who died July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, who died Aug. 11; Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, who died Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who died Sept. 21; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, who died Sept. 27.

    Police said Brownlee has a criminal history and is believed to have also lived in several cities near Stockton, but they did not give further details.

    After receiving hundreds of tips, investigators located and watched the place where Brownlee was living.

    “Based on tips coming into the department and Stockton Crime Stoppers, we were able to zero in on a possible suspect,” McFadden said. “Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving.”

    Investigators watched his patterns and determined that he was out searching for another victim, the chief said.

    “We are sure we stopped another killing,” he said.

    McFadden added that Brownlee was detained after engaging in what appeared to be threatening behavior, including going to parks and dark places, stopping and looking around before driving on.

    Investigators were still processing evidence and trying to identify a motive for the attacks, Officer Joseph Silva, a police spokesperson, said Sunday. Police said some victims were homeless, but not all. None were beaten or robbed, and the woman who survived said her attacker didn’t say anything.

    The police chief thanked various local, state and federal agencies that took part in the investigation, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

    Local investigators had also worked with police in Chicago to determine whether the killings might be linked to two 2018 murders in that city’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Authorities said videos of suspects showed a man in black with a distinctive walk.

    However, Chicago police said Friday that there didn’t appear to be any link.

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  • Suspect arrested in California serial killing investigation

    Suspect arrested in California serial killing investigation

    Stockton police chief announces arrest in serial killings


    Stockton police chief announces arrest in serial killings

    09:05

    A suspect was taken into custody in Stockton, California, early Saturday morning in connection with a serial killing investigation, authorities said. The man was apprehended during a traffic stop.

    Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said Wesley Brownlee, a Stockton resident, was taken into custody at about 2 a.m. local time. He had been under surveillance.

    Officers “determined early this morning, he was on a mission to kill,” McFadden said in a Saturday afternoon news briefing. “He was out hunting.”

    He was armed with a gun, wearing dark clothing and had a “mask around his neck” when he was arrested, the police chief said.

    “We are sure we stopped another killing,” McFadden added. 

    Brownlee was booked for homicide. A SWAT team later raided his apartment. 

    Wesley Brownlee
    Wesley Brownlee was taken into custody in Stockton, California, on Oct. 15, 2022, in connection with a serial killing investigation. 

    Stockton Police Department


    Investigators had been searching for a suspect, who, according to police, was believed responsible in the fatal shootings of five men in Stockton, and a sixth man in Oakland, dating back to April 2021. The latest killing occurred in September. A woman was also believed to have been shot and wounded by the suspect.

    McFadden said that Brownlee was identified as a suspect thanks to a tips from community members.  

    San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar told reporters Brownlee will be arraigned Tuesday. The exact charges he faces have yet to be determined.    

    This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.  

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  • Stockton, Calif., police arrest suspect in serial killings

    Stockton, Calif., police arrest suspect in serial killings

    STOCKTON, Calif. — A man suspected of killing six men and wounding a woman in Northern California was arrested before dawn Saturday as he was apparently searching for another victim, police said.

    Acting on tips and police work, investigators tracked and watched a man and stopped him in a car at about 2 a.m. in Stockton, where five of the shootings took place, Police Chief Stanley McFadden said at a news conference.

    Wesley Brownlee, 43, of Stockton, was dressed in black, had a mask around his neck, had a gun and “was out hunting,” McFadden said.

    “We are sure we stopped another killing,” he added.

    It wasn’t immediately clear whether Brownlee had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

    Police had been searching for a man clad in black who was caught on video at several of the crime scenes in Stockton, where five men were ambushed and shot to death between July 8 and Sept. 27. Four were walking, and one was in a parked car.

    Police believe the same person was responsible for killing a man 70 miles away in Oakland in April 2021 and wounding a homeless woman in Stockton a week later.

    Investigators have said ballistics tests and video evidence linked the crimes.

    Authorities said they received hundreds of tips after announcing the manhunt.

    No suspected motive for the attacks was given, but McFadden said the killer appeared to be “on a mission.” Police said some victims were homeless, but not all. None were beaten or robbed, and the woman who survived said her attacker didn’t say anything.

    The FBI and various police agencies, including in Chicago, helped in the investigation, McFadden said.

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  • Police in Stockton, Calif., say suspect arrested in serial killings

    Police in Stockton, Calif., say suspect arrested in serial killings

    Police in Stockton, Calif., say suspect arrested in serial killings

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  • Is serial killer in Stockton, California also ‘Duck Walk Killer’ who terrorized Rogers Park?

    Is serial killer in Stockton, California also ‘Duck Walk Killer’ who terrorized Rogers Park?

    Is serial killer in Stockton, California also ‘Duck Walk Killer’ who terrorized Rogers Park?


    Is serial killer in Stockton, California also ‘Duck Walk Killer’ who terrorized Rogers Park?

    00:47

    CHICAGO (CBS) — Police in Stockton, California are working with Chicago Police to determine whether a serial killer in Stockton is the same man who shot and killed two people in cold blood in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood in 2018.

    CBS 13 in Sacramento first broke this story with the help of CBS 2 Investigator Brad Edwards, who confirmed this information with his police sources.

    The Stockton serial killer, who, according to police, has taken the lives of six people and injured a seventh in Stockton and Oakland, California, has a city on edge as they wonder who might be next. All of the victims were shot, and police say ballistics evidence linked the same man to the shootings.

    Stockton serial killer

    Eric Howard


    Last week, police released video surveillance footage of the man they believe is the killer and asked residents to pay attention to his gate. His stride is uneven and walks with his hands in his pockets.

    After the surveillance video was released, Edwards called CBS 13 in Sacramento and told them about the Rogers Park murders.

    Two men – Eliyahu Moscowitz and Douglass Watts – were killed in a period of about 36 hours in the fall of 2018.

    douglass-watts-and-eliyahu-moscowitz.jpg
    Douglass Watts (left) and Eliyahu Moscowitz (right) were shot and killed blocks apart in a span of about 36 hours, and police have determined both men were killed with the same gun. (Photos supplied to CBS)

    First, Watts, 73, was shot and killed on the morning Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, while walking his two dogs in the 1400 block of West Sherwin Avenue.

    On the night of Monday, Oct. 1, 2018, Moscowitz was walking down the bike path on the 1100 block of West Lunt Avenue when someone shot him. Moscowitz worked at an Evanston Jewel grocery store.

    Both victims had been shot in the head, and then-Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said in the days after the shooting that ballistics tests confirmed shell casings from both shootings came from the same gun.

    The masked gunman was caught on surveillance video, and police have said he has a distinct duck walk or limp. The suspect has been referred to as the Duck Walk Killer.

    rogers-park-gunman1.jpg
    Chicago police say this man is a suspect in the fatal shooting of 73-year-old Douglass Watts on Sept. 30, 2018. Ballistics tests have linked the shooting to another homicide one day later, the slaying of 24-year-old Eliyahu Moscowitz. (Credit: Chicago Police)

    He has not been seen since.

    “This double murder that happened struck a chord in Chicago — no one’s forgotten about it, and we have a lot of crime in Chicago,” CBS 2’s Edwards told CBS 13 Sacramento.

    CBS 13 compared surveillance videos of the suspects, and the similarities between the men are striking. Both were wearing all black, their heads and faces covered, and their walk is almost exactly alike. 

    “Over and over and over we heard ‘pay attention to the gate, the gate…the walk’ and it struck a chord. This week, when detectives in Chicago saw the video out of Northern California, and again it was ‘pay attention to the gate,” Edwards told the station.

    Now, both police departments are trying to determine whether the killers are the same person. 

    “My sources tell me high-level conversations are going on,” Edwards told CBS 13. “There is an absolute open book sharing of information.”

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  • Police: 6 California killings may be work of serial killer

    Police: 6 California killings may be work of serial killer

    STOCKTON, Calif. — Ballistics tests have linked the fatal shootings of six men and the wounding of one woman in California — all potentially at the hands of a serial killer — in crimes going back more than a year, police said.

    Authorities last week announced that five men in Stockton had been slain in recent months, ambushed and shot to death alone in the dark. Late Monday, police said two additional cases last year — a man’s death in Oakland and the non-fatal shooting of a woman in Stockton — had been tied to those killings.

    “It definitely meets the definition of a serial killer,” said Stockton Police Officer Joseph Silva. “What makes this different is the shooter is just looking for an opportunity, and unfortunately our victims were alone in a dark area.”

    Police would not say whether all seven shootings had been linked to the same gun.

    In the fatal Stockton cases, none of the men was robbed or beaten before the killings — which all took place within a radius of a few square miles between July 8 and Sept. 27 — and none appeared to have known each other, Silva said. The shootings also do not seem to be related to gangs or drugs.

    The other Stockton crime — in which a 46-year-old woman was shot but survived her injuries — occurred April 16, 2021, around 3:20 a.m., police said. The woman was also alone at the time.

    The shooting death of a 40-year-old man in Oakland has also been connected to the violence in Stockton, police said. The man was shot to death around 4:15 a.m. on April 10, 2021. It was not immediately clear whether the man was also unaccompanied when he was killed.

    The city of Stockton, Stockton Crime Stoppers and a local construction company owner offered a total of $95,000 for information leading to an arrest in the slayings.

    Police released a grainy still image of a “person of interest,” dressed all in black and wearing a black cap, who appeared in videos from several of the homicide crime scenes in Stockton.

    The San Joaquin County’s Office of the Medical Examiner identified the Stockton victims on Monday as Paul Yaw, 35, who was killed on July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, who died on Aug. 11; Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, who died on Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who was killed on Sept. 21 and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54.

    Lopez was shot shortly before 2 a.m. on Sept. 27 in a residential area just north of downtown.

    He “was just a person who was out here at the wrong place, at the wrong time, at the wrong circumstance,” his brother, Jerry Lopez, told KXTV-TV. “It’s hard to process that this has happened.”

    There may even be multiple people involved in the violence.

    “To be honest, we just don’t know,” Silva said. “This person or people who are out doing this, they are definitely very bold and brazen.”

    Police said four of the Stockton homicide victims were walking alone and a fifth was in a parked car when they were killed in the evening or early morning in the city of 320,000 residents, located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of the state capital, Sacramento.

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  • 5 California murders linked to possible serial killer

    5 California murders linked to possible serial killer

    5 California murders linked to possible serial killer – CBS News


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    Police in Stockton, California, say the recent murders of five men are all believed to be linked. All the victims were shot while walking in dimly-lit areas, police said. Carter Evans has more.

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  • Police: 5 California killings may be work of serial killer

    Police: 5 California killings may be work of serial killer

    STOCKTON, Calif. — A serial killer may have ambushed five men in central California separately in recent months, shooting them to death alone in the dark, and police are baffled as to why the victims were targeted.

    None of the men were robbed or beaten before their killings — which all took place within a radius of a few square miles — and none appear to have known each other, Stockton Police Officer Joseph Silva said Monday. The shootings also do not seem to be related to gangs or drugs, either.

    Stockton police on Friday announced an $85,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the slayings, which date back to July 8. Authorities also released a grainy still image of a “person of interest,” dressed all in black and wearing a black cap, who appeared in videos from several of the crime scenes.

    The latest killing occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Tuesday, when a 54-year-old man was shot in a residential area just north of downtown.

    None of the shootings have been captured by video cameras and no firearms have been recovered.

    “We don’t have any video of anybody holding any gun or actually committing a crime,” Silva said in a phone interview Monday.

    Still, the available footage, as well as ballistics evidence, link the five killings, he said. All five men were shot by a handgun, though it’s not yet clear if it was the same gun used in each crime.

    “It definitely meets the definition of a serial killer,” Silva said. “What makes this different is the shooter is just looking for an opportunity and unfortunately our victims were alone in a dark area.”

    There may even be multiple people involved in the violence. “To be honest, we just don’t know,” he said. “This person or people who are out doing this, they are definitely very bold and brazen.”

    Police said the victims were each walking alone or in a parked car when they were killed in the evening or early morning in the city of 320,000 residents about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of the state capital, Sacramento.

    The ages of the victims range from 21 to 54; four of the men were Hispanic and one was white.

    ——

    This story has been corrected to say that Stockton police announced an $85,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the slayings on Friday, not Sunday.

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  • Killings of 5 men in California are related, police say

    Killings of 5 men in California are related, police say

    Rewards totaling $85,000 have been offered for information leading to an arrest in five fatal shootings since July in Stockton, California, that investigators believe are related

    STOCKTON, Calif. — Rewards totaling $85,000 have been offered for information leading to an arrest in five fatal shootings since July in Stockton, California, that investigators believe are related, police said.

    After reviewing surveillance footage, detectives have located an unidentified “person of interest” in the killings, Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden wrote on the department’s Facebook page Saturday. Police released a grainy still image of a person filmed from behind, dressed all in black and wearing a black cap.

    The latest killing occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Tuesday, when a 54-year-old man was shot in a residential area just north of downtown, McFadden said.

    Police said he was the fifth man fatally shot since July 8 within a radius of a few square miles. Detectives believe all five homicides are related “based on our investigation and the reports we are receiving,” McFadden said.

    Police said the victims were each walking alone when they were killed in the evening or early morning in the city of 320,000 residents about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of the state capital, Sacramento.

    The ages of the victims range from 21 to 54; four of the men were Hispanic and one was white, McFadden said.

    “We are committed to protecting our community and solving these cases utilizing all the resources at our disposal including YOU. We need YOUR help!!!! If anyone, has information regarding these investigations, call us immediately. Please remember our victims have grieving family members who need resolution. If you know something, say something,” the chief wrote on Facebook.

    The city of Stockton put up a $75,000 reward, and Stockton Crime Stoppers offered an additional $10,000.

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