A Sacramento-area community is struggling to process a heartbreaking and deeply disturbing sequence of events that ended Tuesday with the death of 40-year-old Marvin Morales, a former Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputy. Morales was shot and killed by a California Highway Patrol officer after fleeing the scene where his 11-year-old child had been found stabbed. The tragedy has left neighbors, authorities, and loved ones reeling as investigators work to understand what happened.
The incident began early Tuesday morning when Elk Grove police received a call from a woman shortly after 8 a.m., expressing urgent concern for the safety of her two children who were alone with their father. Officers were immediately dispatched to the residence, where they discovered a horrifying scene. An 11-year-old child had been stabbed and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, while a 6-year-old child was found inside the home physically unharmed. Morales, however, was nowhere to be found, prompting a search across the region.
A short time later, law enforcement located a vehicle believed to be Morales’ traveling southbound on Interstate 5. CHP officers attempted to stop the vehicle, initiating a pursuit that moved closer to Stockton. As the chase continued, officers deployed spike strips south of Highway 12, disabling the vehicle. Morales crashed moments later, causing the pursuit to come to an abrupt halt. What happened next remains under investigation, but authorities confirm that a CHP officer fatally shot Morales following the crash.
Officials have not provided details about the exact circumstances of the shooting, including whether Morales was armed or what actions may have led the officer to fire. The Elk Grove Police Department is now handling the investigation, and authorities say it may take time before a clear picture emerges. The unanswered questions have left many unsettled, especially given the violent and emotional nature of the case.
The tragedy has also renewed attention on Morales’ troubled past. In 2023, a widely viewed video showed Morales unconscious on a sheriff’s office bathroom floor after ingesting fentanyl taken from a suspect. Deputies were seen administering naloxone to save his life. An internal affairs investigation followed, leading Morales to resign from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office in 2024. The incident raised questions about stress, substance use, and the pressures faced by law enforcement officers.
As the community mourns the loss of the 11-year-old child and tries to make sense of the violent end to Morales’ life, support services are being made available to those affected. The surviving 6-year-old is safe, authorities said, and will receive ongoing care. The investigation into the murder, the pursuit, and the shooting remains open as officials work to provide answers in a case that has shocked and devastated many.
