Dead suspect may be linked to 4 slayings in Calif.
VALLEJO, Calif. – A murder suspect who led officers on a high-speed chase with his dead girlfriend in the passenger seat is a central figure in the investigation of at least four killings, authorities said Wednesday.
Efren Valdemoro, 38, was shot and killed by California Highway Patrol officers Tuesday night after refusing to drop a meat cleaver, CHP spokesman Sgt. Trent Cross said. The chase for Valdemoro, who had been wanted in the death of a 73-year-old man last weekend, ended in a Richmond strip mall.
In the passenger seat of the car, officers found the body of Valdemoro’s girlfriend, Cross said. The woman – identified by the coroner as Cindy Tran, 46 – had suffered “pretty serious head and neck injuries,” Cross said.
The confrontation with officers in the eastern San Francisco Bay area suburb happened as police in Vallejo – about 17 miles to the northeast – were investigating the grisly discovery of two decomposing bodies in a home.
One of the victims, Segundina Allen, 63, was an acquaintance of Valdemoro who had allowed him to stay in her home on occasion, but friends said she had grown fearful of him.
Allen and her longtime friend, Marcaria Smart, 60, were reported missing Saturday and hadn’t been seen since Aug. 25.
More Stories
Sarasota-Manatee campus housing rates to be most expensive across all campuses
Student housing rates for the new Sarasota-Manatee residence hall will be the most expensive of all on-campus housing costs across USF’s three campuses. Rates for the dorm will be as follows, according to Regional Vice Chancellor for Business and Financial Affairs Edwin Beauchamp: Suite (Double): $1,297 monthly Two bedroom, one bathroom apartment (single): $1,648 monthly […]
Old Student Health Services building to remain unoccupied
The Student Health Services (SHS) building located next to the bookstore will remain unoccupied, as no decisions have been made to determine what the space will be used for, according to Susanna Perez, communications and marketing officer at the SHWC. All operations that the building used to house were moved to the new Student Health […]
New virtual reality tour of Kellogg Mansion stationed at USF library
Multimedia correspondent Diego Adesso tested the virtual reality simulation at the exhibit. ORACLE VIDEO/DIEGO ADESSO A section of the first floor of the building was closed off by USF library officials to place an immersive 45-60 minute exhibit of the Kellogg Museum that will be open to students from Sept. 21 through March 1. The […]
Students for Socialism hold rally against cost of on-campus living
SFS founder Will Mleczko, a sophomore economics major, said he struggled to afford the cost of living on campus and was forced to take out loans. His struggles were similar to those of his peers in SFS. Six of the organization’s members spoke while around 20 other members held signs reading “The cost of living […]
Temporary esports lab opens at Tampa campus, permanent lab to open fall 2024
The temporary Esports Living Lab (ELL) opened on Sept. 11 at the FIT. The 900-square-foot lab will serve as a precursor to the upcoming permanent lab of the same name set to open in 2024. Open from 5-11 p.m. Monday through Friday, the temporary ELL is stocked with 16 monitors, headsets and microphones as well […]
USF falls three spots in public university national ranking
USF now sits at No. 45 among all public universities in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking – a decrease of three spots from its place at No. 42 last year. Last year’s ranking was the university’s highest ever. This was the fifth consecutive year that USF was listed within the top 50 […]