Two arrests made in Atwater homicide of 58-year-old woman, police say
Two suspects have been arrested in the homicide of a 58-year-old woman in Atwater, whose body was found in a car at Ralston Park earlier this month.
Stanley Jay Young, 55, and Sharon Colleen Kelly, 56, both of Atwater, are accused in the death of Renee Osborne of Merced, Chief Michael Salvador said.
The suspects were arrested around 7 a.m. Wednesday after law enforcement served search warrants at residences in the 2200 block of Eucalyptus Street and the 900 block of Atwater Boulevard.
The warrants were served by Atwater police, Merced County Sheriff’s SWAT, and California Department of Justice agents.
Young and Kelly were taken into custody without incident. Young, who also had an existing arrest warrant out of San Mateo County, is being held on suspicion of homicide. Kelly is being held on suspicion of accessory to commit murder.
Based on evidence, police believe Osborne was not killed where her body was found, according to Salvador.
Police said that according to the autopsy, Osborne died of a gunshot wound.
Salvador said police are trying to locate the firearm and find out why Osborne was in Atwater.
According to Salvador, it is too early in the investigation to determine a motive at this time. Police said it is unclear how the three people knew each other.
“We’re still investigating this. This is still a very, very early investigation,” said Salvador.
Osborne’s death was initially called a “possible” homicide, but an examination by the coroner confirmed it, Salvador said.
Her body was found about 7:50 a.m. March 22, after someone contacted authorities about finding a key to a vehicle in Ralston Park, according to an Atwater Police Department news release.
In an attempt to locate the vehicle the key belonged to, responding officers found a red Kia four-door vehicle parked against a curb on the west side of the park.
Police said the vehicle had been reported to the Merced Police Department as being related to a missing person case.
During the investigation, officers found Osborne’s body in the rear passenger area of the vehicle, with suspicious injuries to her body, police said.
Salvador said police are asking for the public’s help. Anyone with information related to the case or video camera footage in the Ralston Park area between March 1 and March 22, is asked to contact police at 209-357-6384 and ask for Detectives Vierra and Aguilar.
This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Two arrests made in Atwater homicide of 58-year-old woman, police say."