Placer County deputies find suspect in Southern California homicide at Colfax motel
A search for a Riverside County homicide suspect ended this week in Placer County after deputies responded to a reported public disturbance at a Colfax motel room, where they found the man wanted on suspicion of murder.
Shortly before 6:30 a.m. Sunday, deputies were called to the motel for the disturbance call and learned Benjamin Franklin Winkle, 36, of Vacaville was staying there and was wanted in connection with the Riverside County homicide, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday in a social media post.
The deputies created a perimeter around the room and motel before taking Winkle into custody after he walked out of the room. The Sheriff’s Office said Winkle had a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of murder, kidnapping, making criminal threats, false imprisonment and other related charges.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said Winkle is suspected in the Oct. 6 death of Michael Mendoza, 37, whose body was found at a home in Anza, a town 20 miles south of Palm Desert. Deputies at the time responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at the home and found Mendoza’s body.
