Tuesday, 07 November 2006 00:50

Sac Co Sheriff’s Department Looks For Man That Could Hold Answers In Deputy Murder

slide22Sacramento County sheriff's detectives have announced they are looking for a man who they believe may have information that could help in tracking down the person who killed Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell. And they are asking for help from the public. The identity of the man, whose photographs were captured on surveillance video at a Circle K market about an hour after the deputy was gunned down, "is of critical importance to detectives in the investigation," according to a news release issued by sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.

The release stated that although the man is not a suspect in the case, he may unknowingly have information important to the investigation. The photographs released to the media show at least three other customers in the market at the same time. "He appears to be a middle-age or older white male, and possibly drives a red-and-white, full-size pickup truck," Curran said. "He may be a resident of the region and possibly frequent businesses in the area." Curran said the man is being sought in relation to statements made by another customer who was in the store about the same time. That customer, a woman, who is not being identified and is not shown in the photographs, had been acting suspiciously, store clerks later told sheriff's detectives. "They asked her if she needed help, if she wanted them to call the police, and she said, 'No, no,' " Curran said. Detectives have since talked to the woman, who indicated that she was with the man shown in the photograph taken from the store video early Oct. 27. About the same time, Curran said, the Sheriff's Department received a tip that a man was seen at a Chevron gas station -- across the street from the Circle K -- washing blood from his face. "If the woman is tied to that (incident), we would like to know that," Curran said.

slide24The Circle K, a mini-mart and gas station that stays open 24 hours a day, is on Grant Line Road at Wilton Road, about 10 miles southwest of the area where Mitchell's body was found early Oct. 27. Please contact Detective Bill Miller (cell 826-3296, pager 901-3687) or Mark Melville (cell 826-3304, pager 901-3297) with any information that may aid detectives in locating and interviewing this subject.

Persons with information about the murder of Deputy Mitchell may also call the Sheriff’s Department tip lines at 1-800-471-1700 or 916-874-6500. The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of Deputy Mitchell stands at $225,000.00.

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