Man arrested in Texas for 2020 shooting in Merced, police say
MERCED, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A man wanted in connection with a shooting in Merced in 2020 was arrested in El Paso, Texas, on Monday, the Merced Police Department announced.
Officers say on Dec. 2, 2020, at approximately 1:30 a.m. they were called to the 1100 block of East Santa Fe Drive about shots heard in the area. As officers arrived, they located two men inside of an apartment who were both shot. Both of the men were transported to local hospitals and one was pronounced dead shortly after.
Officers say as they were checking the area, they located a third person who was shot in the parking lot about one block away from the original shooting. The third person was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say the investigation revealed that 40-year-old Anthony Perez was one of the suspects in the shooting. An arrest warrant was issued for Perez on Dec. 17, 2020; since then, investigators have been searching for him. Merced Police worked with the U.S. Marshalls Service to help find Perez for this homicide in Merced – and on several other warrants as well, including an attempted homicide in Livingston.
According to police, on Monday, March 18, 2024, the U.S. Marshalls served a search warrant at a home in El Paso, Texas where they located and arrested Perez.
Police say Perez is currently awaiting his extradition to Merced.
Merced Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this crime to contact Sergeant Salyers at 209-388-7771 or by email at SalyersJ@CityofMerced.org.
