The Stockton serial killer has been arrested. Police have arrested Wesley Brownlee, the 43-year-old responsible for a string of ambush shootings, which left six men dead and an injured woman. California prosecutors charged him on Tuesday with three counts of murder and related enhancements as more details from his criminal past appear.
The killings took place from April 2021 to September 27 of this year.
Those three deaths are among the six the police say the alleged serial killer is responsible for.
Stockton police caught Brownlee at 2 a.m. Saturday, during a traffic stop where he was looking for another victim. When he was arrested, Stockton police recovered a black and gray handgun of the same caliber that prosecutors say they have “high confidence” as the one used to gun down Jonathan Hernandez, 21, Juan Carlos Carranza-Cruz, 52, and Lawrence Lopez, 54. They were killed between August 30 and September 27, according to police. The other victims were identified as Paul Yaw, 35, killed on July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, fatally shot on August 11; and the first victim, Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, killed in Oakland on April 10, 2021. The lone survivor was identified as Natasha LaTour, 46, who was shot in Stockton on April 16 that year and survived.
In court Tuesday, Brownlee was ordered held without bail, according to county inmate records. At a news conference, San Joaquin County district attorney Tori Verber said, “We can prove with high confidence the same gun was used in the three homicides we’re charging you with today,” Salazar said at the news conference, addressing the defendant.
“We believe we have the person responsible,” Salazar said. “I’m very, very positive you’ll be hearing additional charges in the near future, as well.”
Prosecutors indicated that a “polymer” was the only one tied to the series of slayings. In addition, prosecutors said the weapon is a “ghost gun,” a firearm that can be 3D printed without a federally mandated serial number or a background check.
Sources contributing to this story:
Stockton serial killings: Man charged with three murders (nbcnews.com)
Stockton serial killer suspect first arrested for selling crack at 15: report | Fox News
