Ceres murder suspect arrested in Ninth Street Stabbing

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department on Monday arrested a Ceres man suspected of stabbing another man to death at a south Ninth Street motel in December.

Jamal Bert Sanders, 34, was charged with murder in the death of 49-year-old Otis Thomas, of Modesto. Thomas was stabbed Dec. 29 at the Budget Inn Motel. He was taken to a Modesto hospital, where he died.

Deputy Royjindar Singh said detectives identified Sanders as the suspect shortly after the incident. Detectives had been going to all the motels on Ninth Street asking about Sanders and on Monday got a tip that he was at the California Inn at 1130 S. Ninth St.

Deputies and detectives knocked on the door of the room in which Sanders was staying. He opened the door and surrendered peacefully, Singh said.

This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 11:54 AM with the headline "Ceres murder suspect arrested in Ninth Street Stabbing."