Jury Deliberates in Vallejo Murder Case: Accused Strangles Victim During Botched Robbery

Vallejo, California — A jury began deliberating Tuesday afternoon in the Solano County Superior Court on the fate of Devonte Levan Hicks, a 29-year-old man accused of killing 24-year-old Gerado Suarez-Marin during a robbery at a Motel 6 in Vallejo in 2018. The deliberations followed closing arguments from both the defense and the prosecution, after more than three weeks of testimony and evidence presentation. At 2 p.m., the jury, comprising seven men and five women, departed from Department 23 after receiving final instructions from Judge John B. Ellis. Hicks faces charges of first-degree murder, with … Read more

Vallejo Man Faces Federal Charges for Ammunition Possession After Standoff with SWAT Team

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Vallejo man with a significant criminal history is facing federal charges for illegal ammunition possession, officials confirmed. The indictment, delivered by a federal grand jury in Sacramento on Thursday, targets Jeffrey Caldwell, 36, for violating firearm regulations due to his felon status. Caldwell’s arrest followed a tense encounter last month with the SWAT team from the Vallejo Police Department. During this operation, authorities discovered Caldwell in possession of a privately made firearm, often referred to as a “ghost gun,” along with ammunition. The discovery was particularly alarming given Caldwell’s extensive criminal … Read more

Vallejo Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder Following Fatal Stabbing at Apartment Complex

Vallejo, California — A jury at the Solano County Superior Court has convicted 33-year-old Ian Albert Alinea Castillo of first-degree murder following a violent altercation at a Vallejo apartment complex last year. After ten days of proceedings, the verdict was delivered unanimously, implicating Castillo in a 2022 stabbing death. The trial centered around a dispute that escalated tragically between Castillo and David Alexis on September 6, 2022. According to authorities, their disagreement led to a physical confrontation that culminated two days later in a fatal encounter. Castillo, reportedly involved in an early morning altercation at … Read more

Vallejo Settles $5 Million Lawsuit Over Fatal Shooting of Willie McCoy at Taco Bell Drive-Through

VALLEJO, Calif. – The City of Vallejo has reached a $5 million settlement in the lawsuit filed by the family of Willie McCoy. McCoy, a 20-year-old rapper, was shot and killed by six officers from the Vallejo Police Department at a Taco Bell drive-through in 2019. The incident gained attention when officers fired 55 shots at McCoy, who was sleeping in a silver Mercedes. The officers involved claimed they acted reasonably, but footage from body cameras showed no visible gun. McCoy’s family attorney, Melissa Nold, expressed her disappointment with the settlement, stating that money does … Read more