SWAT team surrounds Waterford home where murder suspect lived

A Modesto Police Department SWAT team surrounded a Waterford home for about three hours today on a tip that the man accused of killing a woman in a Modesto motel might be there, according to Sgt. Brian Findlen. The suspect was not found, and the operation was abandoned.

At around 1:30 p.m., the SWAT team set up a command post outside the Landon Court home of the parents of Erick John Vogel, who is wanted on suspicion of the murder of Katherine Voelker in a McHenry Avenue motel room early Wednesday morning.

Police said they suspect Vogel might be in the home, which he shared with Voelker, their children and his parents.

Over a public address system at about 2:30 p.m., one officer yelled toward the house: "Erick Vogel, come out with your hands up. We have the house surrounded. We don't want to hurt you."

A bomb squad was at the scene, although there was no evidence of any explosives.

The SWAT team abandoned the operation around 4 p.m.

Earlier in the day, about 12:30 p.m., no one answered at the home when a Modesto Bee reporter knocked on the door. The reporter had gone to the house as part of follow-up reporting on the killing.

The Bee will continue to update the story as information becomes available.