A murder suspect wanted after a woman was found shot dead in Placer County was killed in a shootout with sheriff’s deputies early Monday following an hourslong manhunt through rugged forest terrain.
Authorities identified the suspect as 44-year-old Derek Spencer. Deputies had been searching for him since Sunday after discovering a woman shot and killed inside a home in the Iowa Hill area, about 10 miles east of Colfax.
The victim was later identified as 76-year-old Cheryl Macy. Investigators believe Spencer was inside the home before Macy was shot and that he fled into the surrounding forest. Authorities said they believe the two did not know each other.
The search intensified after deputies said Spencer rammed a stolen vehicle into a sheriff’s patrol vehicle around 10:30 a.m. Sunday and escaped. He was later accused of firing shots at deputies and a sheriff’s helicopter.
A California Highway Patrol aircraft eventually used infrared technology to help locate Spencer in the heavily forested area. Just before 2:30 a.m. Monday, members of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Team moved toward his position through steep and difficult terrain.
Deputies said Spencer fired several shots after they reached the area, leading to a standoff. During the standoff, authorities said drone footage showed Spencer starting two fires.
Around 4 a.m., Spencer fired toward deputies from behind a berm, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies returned fire, striking him. He died at the scene shortly afterward. No deputies were reported injured.
The fires added another complication to the operation. Fire crews were initially unable to fully respond to a nearby fire because of the active armed-suspect situation, while authorities maintained a perimeter around the Iowa Hill Road area.
Sheriff’s officials also said Spencer had been arrested three times earlier in September on allegations including felony vandalism, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, resisting arrest, burglary and vehicle theft. Court records showed he had been released from custody days before the Placer County incident.
The investigation into Macy’s killing and the events leading up to the deadly shootout remains ongoing.
