Police arrest suspect in Dos Palos homicide

Dos Palos police on Monday morning arrested a suspect in a fatal shooting the night before that left one Dos Palos man dead.

Officers responded to a call for a shooting in the 1700 block of Oliver Street about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Police Chief Barry Mann said.

Officers found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds sitting in a car. The man was treated for his injuries but died at the scene, Mann said.

Police worked throughout the night talking to witnesses to identify the suspect.

About 7:15 a.m., officers arrested 38-year-old Jose Maria Rivera in an alleyway. Shortly after, officers found the gun used in the shooting, Mann said.

Mann said Rivera and the victim were friends before the shooting but did not comment on what led up to the deadly incident. It does not appear to be gang-related, he said.

“Our information shows this was an intentional act,” he said.

The victim has not been identified by the Merced County Coroner’s Division. Mann described him as a 29-year-old Dos Palos resident.

Earlier on Sunday, police contacted Rivera after receiving information about a man with a gun acting strangely. Officers didn’t find Rivera with a gun and determined no threats were made by him, Mann said. River was known to police and had multiple run-ins with officers in the past, Mann said.

Mann attributed the speedy arrest to citizen cooperation. “We really applaud our relationship with the local community and their willingness to talk to us,” Mann said. “We know the community like the back of our hand. We’re small.”

This is the second homicide in Dos Palos this year. In January, 29-year-old Omar Villifana surrendered to police after being suspected in the shooting death of his roommate, Humbert Cisneros, 22.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 9:46 AM with the headline "Police arrest suspect in Dos Palos homicide."