Woman arrested after man found shot to death in Ceres motel room
A woman was arrested on suspicion of murder Thursday after Ceres police found a man shot to death inside a room at the Howard Johnson Inn, authorities said.
Officers were called about 10:48 a.m. to the motel at 1672 Herndon Road after an employee reported an unresponsive man and a handgun in the room, according to Ceres Police Department. Responding officers discovered the man, who had a single gunshot wound. Modesto Fire Department personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
While detectives worked the scene, other Ceres officers were following up on a separate domestic-violence report near Mitchell and Finch roads in Modesto. Police said a woman flagged down firefighters, identified herself as a victim of abuse and said the assault may have occurred in Ceres. When officers contacted her and asked if the incidents were related, she sped off in a vehicle with an unrestrained child.
Police pursued the vehicle into the city of Ceres but ended the chase for safety reasons after it struck a curb on Mitchell Road near Hatch Road. The woman drove into the Food 4 Less parking lot, where she was taken into custody without further incident. Neither she nor the child was injured, investigators said.
Detectives later determined the vehicle belonged to the deceased man. During an interview, the woman admitted she had been in an 18-year dating relationship with the victim and confessed to shooting him inside the motel room, according to police.
She was booked on suspicion of murder, felony evasion and two counts of child endangerment. The child was placed in the care of Child Protective Services. Authorities are withholding the names of those involved.
Anyone with information is urged to call Sgt. Berber at 209-538-5672.
