Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007

Officers nab two sought in homicide

Four suspects in custody; fifth person still at large

Authorities arrested a man and woman Wednesday in connection with the killing of a French Camp man found dead in his car in west Modesto in late November, authorities reported.

They are the third and fourth suspects arrested in connection with the homicide.

Stanislaus County sheriff's detectives still are looking for suspect James Seth Brackett, 17, of Modesto, said sheriff's spokesman Royjindar Singh.

Modesto police followed an informant's tip to find and arrest Sebastian Loncaric outside an east Modesto home, said Sgt. Ed Steele.

"We had the name of the girl he was staying with, the street name and that he was staying with a black family," Steele said. Police ran computer checks to find the address. Authorities set up surveillance Wednesday morning.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department identified Loncaric and several others Nov. 29 as suspects in the shooting death of Hector Ocegueda Jr., 30. On Nov. 25, deputies found Oce- gueda dead in his car in an empty field south of Hancock and John streets. Ocegueda died from a gunshot wound to the upper torso, Singh said.

A woman whom sheriff's detectives planned to arrest on suspicion of harboring a fugitive later became the fourth person arrested in connection with Ocegueda's slaying. They arrested Louisa Gates, 36, of Modesto on Wednesday afternoon, and the allegations against her became more serious after she was questioned, Singh said.

Modesto police and sheriff's detectives began surveillance on a home on the 1400 block of Albert Drive, near Lakewood and East Orangeburg avenues, where they heard Loncaric had been staying, Steele said.

Loncaric walked outside in the early afternoon toward a car he'd been driving recently, Steele said. Police arrested him at gunpoint and had additional officers with rifles nearby. Loncaric was cooperative, Steele said, and lay on the ground when he saw officers approach.

Police had been waiting for the Sheriff's Department SWAT team to arrive with a search warrant to go inside for Loncaric. However, he walked outside before the SWAT team got there, Steele said.

Loncaric is being held in jail on suspicion of murder, at- tempted robbery and a drug possession violation. Police found rock cocaine in Loncaric's pocket, Steele said. Loncaric's bail is $1,010,000.

Authorities arrested the first slaying suspect, Francisco Guardado, 21, of Modesto after he led sheriff's deputies and police officers on a chase around west Modesto, over three fences and through an empty apartment complex playground on Dec. 4, according to police. Guardado is being held at the Public Safety Center on $1,050,000 bail on suspicion of murder, attempted robbery and several other violations.

On Dec. 8, authorities arrested the second suspect, Kenneth V. McWilliam, after a foot pursuit. McWilliam, and several others from the car in which he was riding, ran after a sheriff's deputy tried to pull them over, Singh said. Because of an injury, McWilliam was unable to outrun the deputy.

Detectives believe Brackett also was in that car, Singh said.

McWilliam remains in jail on bail of $1 million on suspicion of murder, attempted robbery and a firearms violation.

Officials ask anyone who knows Brackett's whereabouts or who has information about the shooting to call Detective Marc Nuno at 525-7081 or CrimeStoppers at 521-4636. Callers to CrimeStoppers can leave an anonymous tip and may be eligible for a reward.

Bee staff writer Emilie Raguso can be reached at eraguso@modbee.com or 578-2235.