Suspect arrested in Turlock homicide case. Victim’s mother said it’s his childhood friend
A suspect in Patterson resident Romeo Xavier Portillo’s homicide case was arrested last week in Georgia, the Turlock Police Department announced in a news release Thursday. Portillo’s mother, Sharon Threadgill, said the suspect was a friend and came to her home multiple times after the shooting.
Gary Harold Jackson Jr., 22, was arrested in Georgia by the Cobb County Police Department, according to the release. Cobb County Violent Crime Bureau officers were alerted to a Turlock police homicide warrant when Jackson applied for an alcohol permit at the Georgia police department March 23.
He was arrested without incident, the release said. Jackson is being held in Georgia without bail, on felony charges of being a fugitive from justice, according to booking records Thursday.
Turlock police were alerted Tuesday to Jackson’s arrest, according to the release, and the two agencies are working to extradite him to Stanislaus County to face charges of homicide and attempted homicide.
If everything goes smoothly, Jackson is expected to be back within two weeks, Turlock police Sgt. Michael Parmley said. Turlock investigators have the responsibility of picking Jackson up from Cobb County Jail and transporting him back to Stanislaus County.
“Although Jackson and Portillo were known to one another, the motive for this crime is not being released at this time,” according to the release.
Portillo, 21, was shot and died Jan. 14, 2023. His homicide was part of back-to-back late-night shootings at the beginning of the year in downtown Turlock, The Bee reported.
Jackson drove Portillo and another shooting victim that night, police said.
“It’s really sad, you know. (Jackson) called me mom. (Jackson’s) mom loved the mess out of my son. I feel really, really hurt for her. My heart goes out to her and I just really want him to get what he deserves,” Threadgill said about her connection to the suspect.
Romeo Portillo was one of 11 siblings. He left behind a budding music career, his girlfriend and, most important, his daughter, Nilayah, who is turning 3 this Saturday, Threadgill said.
She believes Jackson had been envious of her son.
“My son didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, didn’t do any of the things that this boy did. And (Romeo) only went with him because (Jackson) asked,” she told The Bee.
Threadgill said Jackson was a close friend since middle school who made music with her son and even stayed at Portillo’s home the night before the shooting.
After the shooting, she remembered Jackson coming to her home multiple times leading up to Portillo’s vigil.
“He came in my house after (the shooting), looked me in my eyes and showed no remorse. Never once went to apologize for my son, being, you know, dead,” Threadgill said. “I knew that he did it without even having to say he did. But he denied it to my face. (Jackson) came back to my house again and his story (about the incident) was always changing and changing.”
Victim’s mom grateful to detective
Threadgill believes the evidence in her son’s case will speak for itself. She’s grateful to Turlock police Detective Gina Giovacchini, who is handling the case.
“She’s very thorough and never gave up,” Threadgill said. “She made sure to have everything collected before they went to make an arrest.”
Forensic and video evidence led to Jackson’s arrest, Threadgill told The Bee. She said police collected residue from Jackson’s hands and were able to get security camera footage showing him driving around “waiting for my son to bleed out.”
Turlock police confirmed that all the people involved in the shooting have been identified and interviewed.
“Detectives served several search warrants related to this investigation and all firearms believed to have been used in the homicide have been recovered,” according to the press release.
Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact Giovacchini at 209-668-6539 or the Police Department’s Tip Line at 209-668-5550, ext. 6780, or tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.
