Police arrest suspect in Sonora homicide case

Investigators on Friday announced the arrest of a suspect in the shooting death of a popular demolition derby driver and police volunteer earlier this year.

Ricky Roberts, 49, was found fatally shot in his Mono Way garage in February. Police this week arrested Cheryl Lucero, 45, of Twain Harte in the case. In a news release, police said Lucero was an acquaintance of Roberts’ who had been considered a person of interest in the case.

A Sonora police sergeant and a Tuolumne County sheriff’s sergeant contacted Lucero on Wednesday. During their discussion, Lucero admitted to her involvement in the homicide, police said.

She was arrested and booked at the Tuolumne County jail on a homicide charge. Bail was set at $1 million.

On Thursday, authorities served a search warrant at Lucero’s Twain Harte home. They took several items and submitted them to the California Department of Justice laboratory in Ripon for analysis.

Because the investigation is ongoing, police said, no further details will be released.

The homicide was Sonora’s first in nearly 13 years.

This story was originally published June 20, 2014 at 8:03 AM with the headline "Police arrest suspect in Sonora homicide case."