Man wanted in Merced County robbery, assault with semi-auto gun caught by Stanislaus deputies

A man accused of robbery and assault with a semi-automatic pistol at a Merced County home was caught the same night by Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies, according to authorities.

The incident happened the evening of April 20 at the home in the 11000 block of Merced Avenue in Delhi, according to Merced County Sheriff’s Deputy Daryl Allen.

A man there told deputies he was supposed to meet with a friend, identified as 22-year-old Wyatt Stinson of Delhi, to pick up a boat motor. Stinson arrived with another man, later identified by investigators as 26-year-old Kyle Luiz. When Stinson went to the back of the property to retrieve the motor, Luiz put on a ski mask and started shooting into the air with the pistol, according to a Merced County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Nobody was struck by the gunfire, according to deputies, but Luiz allegedly stole various items including tools from the victim’s truck.

Later that night, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one used in the Delhi case and took Luiz into custody. He matched the description of the man the victim reported to authorities. Deputies also recovered a semi-automatic 9mm handgun, Allen said.

Stanislaus County deputies transferred Luiz into Merced County Sheriff’s Office custody and he confessed to the robbery, authorities said.

Luiz was arrested and booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony first degree robbery, assault with firearm, willful discharge of firearm in negligent manner, possession of stolen property and felon in possession of a firearm, according to jail records.

He remained in custody Monday evening in lieu of $510,000 bond.

This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 4:58 PM.