Suspect arrested in killing at north Modesto apartment complex

Modesto Police Department Street Gang Unit investigators on Monday arrested a suspect believed to be involved in the murder of a Modesto man last month.

Issac Franco, 21, was taken into custody Monday night after he arrived in town on a Greyhound bus. He was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on suspicion of murder in the death of 24-year-old Augustin Chum at the Standiford Court Apartments on Colonial Drive on Aug. 21.

Shortly after 8 that night, police officers responded to a call of gunshots in the area of Colonial and Standiford Avenue, just east of the Raley’s shopping center at Tully Road. They arrived to find two subjects shot at the apartment complex on Colonial. Chum died at the scene. The second victim, 23-year-old Gerardo Espinoza-Castro of Modesto, was shot multiple times. He remains in stable condition at a local hospital, according to a news release from the Modesto Police Department.

A third subject, initially thought to be involved in the shooting, was transported by private vehicle to a local hospital with gunshot wounds, but detectives later determined he was not involved.

Several subjects were in the courtyard area of the apartment complex when the shooting began.

After the shooting, there was a report that a suspect was jumping fences and heading toward Tully Road. Two police squad cars were parked at the busy shopping center at Tully and Standiford that has the Raley’s supermarket and McDonald’s, among other businesses. Officers went to both ends of the aisles at Raley’s and searched to make sure no suspect was in the store.

Detectives continue their investigation and believe there are more witnesses who have information on this case, spokeswoman Heather Graves said. Anyone who knows anything about the shooting is asked to call the Modesto Police Department or Crime Stoppers.

Callers to Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636 can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Tipsters may also text information to Crime Stoppers at 274637. Just type “TIP704” along with the message.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Suspect arrested in killing at north Modesto apartment complex."