Pets die in arson fire after gunshot murder
Santa Rosa, CA (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Jan 22, 2006
County: Sonoma
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» John Michael Wayne
» Steven Joseph King
Two Sonoma men were arrested Tuesday [Nov 5, 2008] in connection with a 2006 murder of 52-year-old April Denton of Santa Rosa.
John Michael Wayne, 34, and Steven Joseph King, 28, were booked into Sonoma County jail on charges including murder, robbery, arson and animal cruelty, according to sheriff's Lt. Chris Spallino. No bail amount was set.
Denton's charred body was discovered by firefighters in the smoldering ruins of her Mountain View Avenue home between Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park on Jan. 22, 2006. A subsequent autopsy revealed that Denton had died of a gunshot wound to the head, and an investigation of the crime scene determined that the fire had been intentionally set, Spallino said. He said Denton's pets also died in the blaze.
Detectives from the sheriff's Violent Crimes Investigations Unit were put on the suspects' trail, and worked for several months to gather enough evidence for filing a criminal complaint. Wayne was located and arrested in San Francisco without incident.
King, who was in custody at the Marin County Jail on unrelated charges, was arrested on the Sonoma County warrant. Both suspects were transported back to Sonoma County, Spallino said.
Spallino added that anyone with information regarding this incident should contact the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department Violent Crimes Investigations Unit at 707.565.2185. References« CA State Animal Cruelty Map
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