Ceres police arrested a woman on Thursday in connection with the shooting death of a man at the Howard Johnson Inn. Officers responded to a call at 10:48 a.m. about an unresponsive man and a handgun found in a motel room at 1672 Herndon Road, according to the Ceres Police Department. The man was discovered with a single gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene by Modesto Fire Department personnel.
While detectives processed the crime scene, other officers were investigating a separate domestic violence report near Mitchell and Finch roads in Modesto. Police said that during this time, a woman approached firefighters, claimed she was a victim of abuse, and indicated that the assault may have happened in Ceres. When contacted by officers, she drove away in a vehicle with an unrestrained child.
The pursuit continued into Ceres but was stopped for safety reasons after her car hit a curb on Mitchell Road near Hatch Road. The woman then entered the Food 4 Less parking lot, where she was taken into custody without further incident. Investigators reported that neither she nor the child was injured.
Detectives later identified the vehicle as belonging to the deceased man. During questioning, police said the woman admitted to being in an 18-year relationship with the victim and confessed to shooting him inside the motel room.
She has been booked on suspicion of murder, felony evasion, and two counts of child endangerment. The child is now under Child Protective Services care. Authorities are not releasing names related to this case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Berber at 209-538-5672.
