Two brothers face murder charges in Newman shooting, Stanislaus Sheriff’s Dept. says
Two brothers face murder charges in the shooting death of a Newman man early Thursday morning, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.
Shortly after 6 a.m., officers with the Newman Police Department were called to the area of T Street and Inyo Avenue on reports of shots fired.
A shooting victim later identified as Enrique Becerra, 67, was found dead in the front yard of a home on the 1900 block of T Street. A man walking along Inyo at the time of the shooting told The Bee he saw men run from T onto Inyo.
The Newman Police Department asked that the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department assist with the homicide investigation.
On Saturday, an emergency dispatcher in Merced County got a call from a man saying he wanted to turn himself in for the homicide. He was identified as Julio Cesar Zaragoza-Romero, 46.
During the investigation, Zaragoza-Romero said his brother, Francisco Hernandez Romero, 49, also participated in the killing.
The older brother later was located by sheriff’s detectives at his place of employment and taken into custody. Both suspects were booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on suspicion of first-degree murder.
Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to contact sheriff’s Detective Talia Martin at 209-525-7093. Tips also may be left with Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Tips also can be submitted via www.stancrimetips.org.
