Man shot, killed in Ceres motel room, but alleged shooter claims domestic abuse, police say
A woman who claimed to be the victim of domestic abuse faces a slew of felony charges, including murder and child endangerment, after she was linked to a deadly shooting in a Ceres motel room and led officers on a vehicle pursuit, according to the police department.Around 10:48 p.m. Thursday, Ceres officers responded to the Howard Johnson Inn on Herndon Road to investigate a report of suspicious circumstances after an employee found an unresponsive man in one of the rooms. There, officials said officers found a man dead with a single gunshot wound.During that investigation, Ceres police said officers were following up on an earlier reported domestic violence case in the area of Mitchell and Finch roads in Modesto when a woman flagged down fire personnel and identified herself as a victim of domestic abuse, and that the abuse occurred at a motel in Ceres. Officers then asked if her report was connected to the homicide investigation, and she drove away with an unrestrained child in a vehicle.Ceres police said officers initiated a pursuit, but terminated it for safety reasons. However, officials said the woman continued driving recklessly and struck a curb near Mitchell and Hatch roads, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Neither she nor the child was injured.Officials said she was then taken into custody near where she crashed. The vehicle she was driving was found to be registered to the man in the motel. Ceres police said during a police interview, the woman confessed to shooting the man and said they had been in a relationship for approximately 18 years. The woman was arrested on charges of murder, felony evasion and two counts of child endangerment. Officials said the child with her was placed into the custody of Child Protective Services.None of the involved parties has been identified. Anyone with information about the investigation is urged to contact Sgt. Berber at 209-538-5672.If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text 'START' to 88788.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
