Archive By Section - Crime
New CEO for Merced court
The new Chief Executive Officer of Merced County Superior Court is Linda Romero Soles, a former Turlock resident.
Suspect flees, copper recovered
The Merced County Sheriff's Department is searching for the man who tried to steal copper wiring from a Ballico farm.
Rape Aggression defense class
The Turlock Police Department and Stanislaus State University Police are providing Rape Aggression Defense training to women in Turlock. The training is offered at no cost to the public. The 12-hour course is broken up into two sessions over a period of two weeks.
Collisions injure one on highway
A chain-reaction of crashes on Highway 99 in Turlock injured one and slowed traffic down for a short time Tuesday afternoon.
Jury convicts Turlock brothers of killing rapper
Two mothers sat on opposite sides of a courtroom. One was waiting for justice for her slain son and the other was waiting to hear if her two sons would ever know freedom again.
Murder suspect testifies gun went off on accident
After five weeks of testimony and a day of listening to closing arguments, the fate of two Turlock men accused of gunning down a 26-year-old man with aspirations of rap stardom, is inching closer to being in the hands of 12 jurors.
Bank robber makes bomb threat before fleeing
The Turlock Police Department is seeking the man responsible for a bank robbery and launching a bomb scare.
Fatal hit and run suspect racks up another traffic citation
The Patterson woman who is standing accused of hitting a bicyclist while driving on a Turlock road and leaving him mortally wounded, was issued another traffic citation March 25, just five days before her last court appearance.
Former postal worker charged with fraud
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a Turlock woman suspected of committing multiple acts of mail and workers' compensation fraud while employed as a postal worker, according to the Department of Justice.
Gangsters crash soldier’s party
A going away party in Hilmar for a man joining the military was crashed by suspected gang members and escalated into a large brawl that injured several and resulted in four arrests.
Nosy neighbor earns accolades for thwarting theft
The Turlock Police Department has awarded a commendation to a citizen for his pivotal role in apprehending three burglars.
Disrespect impetus for shooting, says DA investigator
The prosecution rested their case this week against two Turlock men standing accused of killing an aspiring rapper at a memorial barbecue, by presenting testimony to the two men's extensive gang history and the suspected motive behind the murder.
Crime rate drops in 2010
For a third consecutive year the crime rate in Turlock has dropped, though for 2010 it was done with the smallest of margin.
Gunshot scares off burglars
A homeowner scared away a group of burglars when he fired his gun into the floor.
Molestation suspect nabbed in Orange County
A man wanted by the Turlock Police Department on suspicion of molestation charges, was arrested Thursday in Orange County.
Articles by Section - Crime
Merenda claims he attempted suicide after stabbing man to death
The fate of a Turlock man accused of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a Hughson father and youth football coach, now rests with 12 jurors. Darren Merenda is on trial for the 2009 death of 34-year-old Donald Futch. The trial concluded Thursday and deliberations began Thursday afternoon, with no verdict returned. Around 3:30 a.m. Sept. 12, 2009, Merenda and Futch agreed to meet in the parking lot of a Colorado ...
Second victim identified in Hughson homicide; questions remain
The second man found inside a burned vehicle in Hughson has been identified, but little information about the double homicide has been released. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department identified the second man as 19-year-old Camilo Angulo of Hughson. The first victim was previously identified as Guillermo Zavala Guitron, 19. The two 19-year-olds were found Sept. 4 in a Toyota that had been set on fire and left in an orchard near E. ...
U.S. Army refuses to produce ‘key’ witness in Merenda murder trial
As the trial of a Turlock man accused of killing his romantic rival moves closer to finishing, the likelihood that a key witness will be taking the stand seems to be vanishing. Darren Merenda, 32, is on trial for the 2009 slaying of 34-year-old Donnie Futch of Hughson during a fight outside a Turlock apartment complex. Around 3:30 a.m. Sept. 12, 2009, Merenda and Futch agreed to meet in the parking lot of ...
Burglars alert sheriff of child pornography stash
Two burglars who thought they had stolen blank CDs to record music on, instead found multiple child pornographic images on the discs and helped the Merced County Sheriff's Department investigators find the man believed to have downloaded the images. Kraig Stockard, 54, of Delhi was booked into the Merced County Jail on charges of possessing child pornography. Sheriff spokesman Deputy Tom MacKenzie said investigators have uncovered thousands of pornographic images and movies ...
Murder trial underway; defense argues death was fight gone wrong
The trial of a Turlock man accused of stabbing to death a romantic rival began Wednesday in Stanislaus County Superior Court with a key witness in the wind. Darren Merenda, 32, is on trial for the 2009 slaying of 34-year-old Donnie Futch of Hughson. In charging Merenda with first-degree murder, the prosecution believes Merenda met Futch in a darkened alley outside his apartment complex with the intention of killing him. The defense, ...
Off-duty police officer shoots at truck
An off-duty law enforcement officer was involved in a shooting early Friday morning, but there were no injuries, reported the Turlock Police Department. At approximately 2:53 a.m. Friday, Turlock Police officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 2000 block of Waring Road. Once on scene, investigators found an off-duty police officer who said he fired his weapon at a truck that was coming toward him. The off-duty officer told investigators ...
Road rage defendant back in jail
What was intended to be a simple arraignment hearing for a Turlock man accused of a fatal road rage beating, ended with the defendant in handcuffs when a bondsman requested he be surrendered into custody. Defendant Michael Hoyt was unexpectedly taken into custody Monday when Los Angeles bondsman Vincent Ebarb came into town and called the bail due. Hoyt is facing a charge of second-degree murder for the death of 68-year-old Hilmar ...
Crime Stoppers coming to Merced County
The nationally recognized Crime Stoppers program is expanding to Merced County. Crime Stoppers is a confidential system that pays rewards to people who provide information that leads to the arrest of wanted criminals. Suspect and case information is profiled on a regular basis in local media. In Stanislaus County, Crime Stoppers has been in operation for five years and as to date, has tallied up 281 captures. Patrick Lunney, chief investigator ...
Turlock man faces life in prison for attempted murder
A Turlock man was convicted of attempted murder and assault with a firearm for two separate incidents in January and March 2010, announced Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager on Friday. Ivan Alejandro Zamora Blanco, 37, of Turlock, was convicted on Sept. 13 of attempted murder with premeditation, personal use and intentional discharge of a firearm, assault with a firearm, and assault with a semiautomatic ...
Drug trafficker given prison sentence
The last member of a Turlock drug ring that was responsible for distributing large amounts of crystal methamphetamine in the area was sentenced to federal prison Friday. Noel Castillo, 38, of Turlock was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, the U.S. Department of Justice reported. Castillo was convicted in federal court of conspiring to distribute crystal methamphetamine and possession of crystal methamphetamine with the intent ...
Sweep nabs drug suspects
A search warrant issued for a home in the 100 block of G Street in Turlock led to the arrest of three people, the recovery of a stolen handgun, and the seizure of various narcotics. The search warrant was served shortly before noon Thursday by the Turlock Police Department's Narcotics Enforcement Team. TPD's detectives and agents with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency were also at the scene, said police spokesman Sgt. Nino ...
Husband wounded in home invasion robbery
The Turlock Police Department is investigating a home invasion robbery that injured one man. The robbery was reported around 8:30 p.m. Monday at an apartment in the 1000 block of N. Olive Avenue. The two robbers broke into the residence armed with weapons, but the police department did not specify what kind of weapons. The residence was occupied by a husband and wife and the husband sustained a head injury during ...
Turlock men charged with copper heist
The Merced County Sheriff's Department's crackdown on metal thefts has nabbed two more suspects and this time the suspected thieves hail from Turlock. Just after 4 a.m. Friday, a deputy was on patrol in the area of Highway 140 and Tina Avenue, outside of Merced, when he noticed a small pickup coming off the canal bank. The deputy made a vehicle stop and found an estimated 300 feet of copper wire in ...
Local bail bonds owner faces kidnapping, extortion charges
A Modesto bail bondsman, his employee and one other individual were arrested Wednesday on a litany of criminal charges, including allegations they kidnapped individuals for the purpose of extortion. Aleo John Pontillo II, 40, the owner of AJ's Bail Bonds in Modesto, was taken into custody along with his bail agent Janelle Llorens, 27, and Mark David Davis, 49, by the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department after an arrest warrant was filed by the ...
Violent crime down across the state
A 2010 report on crime in California shows decreases in violent and property crimes across the state, but the news was less optimistic for Stanislaus County. The Crime in California report is compiled by the California Department of Justice and is based on data reported by police and sheriff's departments in all of California's 58 counties. The report shows there was a decrease in violent crime across the state for the fourth ...
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