Arrest of suspect produced in relationship with Stockton serial killings that still left 6 dead

By Dominique Williams | Sacramento Bee

Stockton police and town officers declared an arrest Saturday in relationship with the sequence of killings that has gripped the California metropolis and countrywide headlines.

Six individuals ended up gunned down in the deadly string — 5 in Stockton and one particular in Oakland — stretching back again to 2021. All are tied, law enforcement claimed previously this month, to a single weapon.

The individual in custody, recognized as 43-12 months-previous Wesley Brownlee, is a resident of Stockton. He was arrested all around 2 a.m., authorities reported at a information conference at Stockton Law enforcement Section headquarters Saturday afternoon.

“This stays a extremely lively investigation,” reported law enforcement Chief Stanley McFadden.

“We are certain we stopped yet another killing,” he extra, as he spoke of the arrest subsequent overnight surveillance by officers.

Police continue to be unclear about why the victims had been focused. None were robbed or beaten, and the 5 Stockton killings all took area within a handful of sq. miles of every other.

In some of the crimes, the suspect was explained as 5-foot-10 to 6 toes, dressed in dark clothing and donning a black cap, and was seen strolling with an even stride and upright posture.

The to start with lethal capturing was in Oakland in April 2021. The female was wounded in Stockton days afterwards. A lot more than a yr handed, then the 5 killings in Stockton took place in between July 8 and Sept. 27, all inside a radius of a handful of sq. miles, police stated.

There was a $125,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, but it is not right away distinct if anybody will obtain it.

The very first killing specific Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, in Oakland at all-around 4:15 a.m. on April 10, 2021. He was shot multiple situations, in accordance to the Alameda County coroner’s bureau. It was not instantly clear if he was alone when he was killed.

In the nonfatal assault, the 46-calendar year-old woman explained to investigators that she was inside her tent on April 16, 2021 at about 3:20 a.m. when she heard a person walking all over exterior.

The San Joaquin County Business office of the Health-related Examiner identified the Stockton victims as 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.

A ballistics investigation revealed the 448-day crack involving the second and 3rd victims and the swiftly closing gaps concerning victims thereafter: 34 times, then 19, then just six times as the demise toll continued to mount.

Police stated four of the Stockton murder victims have been walking by itself and a fifth was in a parked automobile when they had been killed in the evening or early early morning.

---

The Bee’s Darrell Smith and Daniel Hunt, and the Related Press contributed to this report.

Check back for updates.