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Tuesday, Jan. 06, 2009

Arrest made in death of man found dead in Modesto alley (Updated)

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Authorities arrested a suspect in the death of a 33-year-old man who was found with a gunshot wound lying in an alley near a home early Tuesday just east of downtown Modesto, police said.

Modesto police found Ricky Dale Conway Jr., of Modesto, in the alley behind the 200 block of Kelley Street, said police spokesman Sgt. Brian Findlen. Conway was pronounced dead at the scene.

He said Donaciano Rocha Ocegueda, 37, of Modesto, was arrested on suspicion of murder. Ocegueda was expected to be booked at the Stanislaus County Jail late Tuesday.

Conway’s death is Modesto’s and Stanislaus County’s first homicide this year.

About 2:30 a.m., officers responded to a report of an injured man on the ground in the alley.

Findlen said there is a house that faces the alley, which runs east to west in the area south of Kelley and just east of James Street. He said officers found Conway in the alley in front of the home.

About 5:40 a.m., Stanislaus County sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Dirkse spotted a suspicious car in the area of Crows Landing Road and Winmore Way in south Modesto.

Findlen said Dirkse pulled over the car, and dispatchers told him the car’s registration was linked to the house where Conway was found. He said neither the victim nor the suspect lived at the house.

Two men, one of them was Ocegueda, were in the car. The men were detained and questioned by homicide detectives.

Several hours passed as the detectives questioned other people before they linked Ocegueda to the shooting, Findlen said. The second man found in the car was later released and not charged with a crime.

Detectives declined to release any details about the shooting, fearing it would harm the investigation. Findlen declined to comment when asked what circumstances might have led to the shooting, how the shooting occurred and if detectives recovered a weapon.

He did say there were no indications that the shooting was gang-related.

Authorities ask anyone with information about this robbery to call Crime Stoppers at 521-4636. Tipsters can e-mail Crimestoppers, or text tips to CRIMES (274637) by typing "Tip704" plus the message. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.