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Crime & Safety

Slaying Suspect Nabbed Near St. Vincent's in San Rafael

A alleged shooting in Santa Rosa turned into a four-hour manhunt, a chase down Hwy. 101 through Novato and an eventual arrest in northern San Rafael.

The suspect in a slaying in Santa Rosa was apprehended in San Rafael Saturday morning after a multi-agency chase by California Highway Patrol, police and sheriff departments, according to law enforcement authorities.

An altercation in southwest Santa Rosa was reported to local police just after 2 a.m. Saturday and before long a four-hour manhunt began for suspected killer, a 39-year-old Santa Rosa resident.

“(There was) some sort of verbal altercation,” said Sgt. Rainer Navarro of the Santa Rosa Police Department. “We don’t know yet what it was about, but the suspect returned with a firearm.”

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Navarro said the suspect, identified as Latroy Clinton Sr., fatally shot Oscar Valencia of Santa Rosa in the head.

CHP officers said they spotted Clinton on Highway 101 near the Highway 116 interchange and pursued him southbound into Marin. Spike strips were used to bring the chase to a halt in the area of St. Vincent Drive and Marinwood. As his white van slowed, police said, Clinton jumped from the vehicle and ran across the freeway into a large field that fronts St. Vincent's School for Boys.

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In a press statement, Navarro reported that law enforcement officers with the CHP, Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Santa Rosa Police set up a perimeter around the area. K-9 units from the Novato and Santa Rosa departments conducted a search, assisted by the Sonoma County sheriff’s helicopter patrol.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., officers spotted a man matching the suspect’s description once again running across the freeway and stopping traffic. The suspect attempted to force his way into a vehicle that had stopped to avoid hitting him. Officers caught up with him on foot and took him into custody before he entered any vehicles.

Later in the morning, CHP officers also assisted in searching the route of the pursuit and found a firearm believed to be the weapon used. The firearm was located about 1,400 feet north of the Marinwood overcrossing along Highway 101.

Navarro said the continuing investigation would involve three agencies: Santa Rosa police will investigate the slaying; the CHP will investigate the handgun; and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office will investigate the attempted carjacking.

Clinton was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of murder.

Anyone who has information regarding the case is asked to call Santa Rosa Police Detective Riley or Detective Corcoran at (707) 543-3590.

 

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