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On Tuesday, December 27, alleged Stockton serial killer Wesley Brownlee was charged with an additional four murder counts, bringing his suspected death toll to seven.
Wesley Brownlee emerged as a primary suspect in a series of shootings that occurred in Stockton, California, between April 10, 2021, and September 27, 2022. The serial attacks have reportedly led to seven deaths and one non-fatal injury across eight separate incidents.
On October 15, 2022, Stockton authorities arrested Wesley Brownlee in connection to the slayings. None of the suspects were robbed after the killings. Authorities believe that the victims were largely chosen at random, and that the spree was not related to gang activity.
Wesley Brownlee has had a criminal record since he was 15
East County Today reported that in all of the separate shooting incidents, the victims were targeted in fairly isolated, dimly lit areas during late nights or early mornings. It is believed that a 'ghost gun', or an untraceable and unserialized firearm, was used in at least three of the murders.
NPR identified the suspect as a slim, 5'10 male clad in a dark hooded jacket and black face mask. All of the victims were male, except Natasha LaTour, a 46-year-old woman who survived being shot multiple times on April 16, 2021. All but one of the victims were shot in Stockton. The first victim, 39-year-old Miguel Vasquez, was fatally shot in East Oakland on April 10, 2021.
Wesley Brownlee's October arrest occurred after Stockton authorities discovered him driving through the city streets with a black face mask and a firearm.
Chief Stanley McFadden of the Stockton Police Department said that when Wesley Brownlee was identified by authorities, he was reportedly searching the parks and alleyways of the city.
“He was on a mission to kill. He was out hunting."
According to the Guardian, McFadden added:
'We're going to stay tenacious, we don't know how many cases there are."
While little else is known about Wesley Brownlee, authorities reported that he has a criminal record dating back to when he was 15 years old. He has been convicted in the past of crimes such as drug and traffic-related violations in the States of Arizona and California.
As per KCRA, at the time of his arrest, Brownlee was a truck driver who had recently moved from Oakland to Stockton.
In an official statement, District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said:
“The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office continues to collaborate with our local law enforcement agencies to ensure justice for these victims."
Salazar went on to commend the Stockton authorities for finding the suspect.
"We would like to thank the community for their support and law enforcement for their diligent investigation and apprehension of the suspect."
ABC reported that authorities have not yet disclosed the alleged motivations behind the murders. The case, which has shocked California authorities, brings back memories of notable serial killers in the state such as the Zodiac and the Golden State Killer.
