A heart-wrenching sequence of events gripped California this week, culminating in the death of a former sheriff’s deputy suspected of fatally stabbing his 11-year-old son. The dramatic saga concluded Tuesday after a high-speed car chase on Interstate 5, when law enforcement officers shot and killed the suspect.
The horrific incident began in Elk Grove when police responded to a frantic call from a mother. She had witnessed a terrifying scene via her home security system: her children’s father assaulting their 11-year-old son. Officers arrived to find the young boy with critical stab wounds. Despite valiant efforts, he tragically succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. His 6-year-old sister was found safe, but undoubtedly shaken by the ordeal.
The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Marvin Morales, had fled the scene. A widespread alert quickly led to him being spotted driving south on I-5. What followed was a tense pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies. The chase finally came to a dramatic halt near Lodi when officers successfully deployed a spike strip, disabling his vehicle. In the moments after the crash, Morales was shot by officers and later died at a hospital.
Authorities revealed that Morales was no stranger to the system; he had been a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy but was fired in February 2024 due to illicit drug use. The shooting itself, which involved officers from both the Elk Grove Police Department and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, is now under investigation to determine the full circumstances. This profound tragedy leaves a community in shock and a family shattered by unthinkable loss.
