'We are sure we stopped another killing': Stockton police chief announces arrest in serial killings

Aaron Leathley and Angelaydet Rocha, The Record
·2 min read
Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden speaks during a press conference at the Stockton Police Department headquarters in downtown about the arrest of Wesley Brownlee in the Stockton serial killings on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Behind McFadden is a booking photo of Brownlee.
Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden speaks during a press conference at the Stockton Police Department headquarters in downtown about the arrest of Wesley Brownlee in the Stockton serial killings on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Behind McFadden is a booking photo of Brownlee.

Stockton police have announced that an arrest has been made in connection with the serial killings in Stockton.

Wesley Brownlee, 43, of Stockton has been taken into custody, Police Chief Stanley McFadden and other officials announced at a news conference Saturday, Oct. 15.

“The arrest happened in two parts: One was community tips and the second was good, old-fashioned police work. Based on tips coming into the department [and] Stockton Crime Stoppers, we were able to zero in on a possible suspect,” McFadden said.

ICYMI: Stockton killings not linked to Chicago homicides police say

Stockton detectives alongside the FBI and other law enforcement agencies have been searching for those responsible for seven shootings — six fatal — in Stockton and Oakland between April 2021 and Sept. 2022.

Brownlee was taken into custody about 2 a.m. Saturday near Village Green Drive and Winslow Way, McFadden said. A police surveillance team followed Brownlee, who was in a car and wearing dark clothing with a dark mask around his neck.

"He was on a mission to kill," McFadden said. “He was out hunting."

"We are sure we stopped another killing," he continued.

Brownlee was in possession of a firearm at the time of his arrest, officials said. It is unknown if the firearm was registered under his name or stolen.

"We have information that had got us to his place of residence," McFadden said. Then, investigators waited "until he became mobile."

McFadden did not specify what about Brownlee's behavior led police to believe he was on his way to commit a homicide Saturday morning.

The chief was present when a SWAT team and homicide detectives served a search warrant at Brownlee's apartment on Saturday, McFadden said.

Brownlee's residence "wasn't too far from one of our ... homicides," the police chief said. Brownlee has lived in other cities in addition to Stockton, he said, and has a criminal history.

A defendant by the same name faced a felony case in 2017, infractions in 2021 and 2022, and a DUI case in 2009, San Joaquin County Superior Court records show.

McFadden did not share any information about a possible motive in the killings. Brownlee is scheduled to be arraigned in San Joaquin County Court at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said, "This is a very fluid and ongoing investigation." The DA's office will most likely be adding charges, she said.

"This is a city that each and every one of us call home, and we will not tolerate any acts of senseless violence,” Mayor Kevin Lincoln said.

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers public safety. She can be reached at aleathley@recordnet.com or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow. 

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow. 

This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton man arrested in connection with serial killings