Unsolved cases    

 

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to bringing closure to the victims of violent crimes and their families.  The following are unsolved cases that we are seeking any public assistance:

 

Debra Miller (85-1866) – On March 9, 1985, 27 year old Debra Miller was killed while traveling as a passenger in friend’s vehicle.  The preliminary investigation revealed Debra was beaten and strangled to death. Authorities were contacted after the vehicle, a green 1964 Chevy sedan, had crashed into a tree on Bell Avenue near Livingston. Reports indicate that the driver had picked up another male passenger at a fast food restaurant in Atwater prior to the incident.  This subject who was believed to be the responsible in Debra’s death was described as a White male, with blonde hair and a bushy mustache.  The suspect in this case was picked up by a “big brown car” after the assault according to a witness.

 

Stanley Howard (86-7137) – On June 22, 1986 Stanley Howard was fatally stabbed in his residence.  At about 3:30 am Howard was at home in bed with his wife at 631 East Gerard Avenue in the city of Merced.  Howard was attacked by an unknown person while sleeping in his bed and sustained a fatal stab wound.  Howard struggled briefly with the killer and chased the subject down a hallway in his residence before collapsing from the stab wound.

 

Robert Gilliam III (03-24589) - On July 12, 2003 at about 9:50 pm, Sheriff’s deputies responded to 1301 Rita May Avenue on a shots fired report.  Deputies were advised on the way that the residence of the call was on fire.  Prior to deputies arrival 43 year old Robert Gilliam III had been taken to a local hospital by a private party.  Gilliam was able to give preliminary information to deputies.  Gilliam told deputies he was at home when he saw a green 1990’s model Chevrolet Silverado pick up truck with four doors pull up in front of his house.  According to Gilliam three black males got out of the truck and forced him into his residence at gunpoint.  Once inside the house Gilliam was bound, beaten and robbed.  Gilliam was then soaked in gasoline by the suspects and lit on fire.  Gilliam did not know at the time he had also sustained a gunshot wound.  Gilliam later died as a result of the gunshot wound, burns and head trauma.

 

Singharath (05-376) - On January 4, 2005 the bodies of Kheuangham Singharath and Kesone Singharath were discovered inside there home at 1239 South Highway 59.  Both victims hand been severely beaten and ultimately died as a result of blunt force to the head.

 

Peter Her (05-36166) – On September 30, 2005 at about 9:00 pm 24 year old Peter Her was found lying near the railroad tracks on Santa Fe Avenue near McKee Road.  Her suffered from a head injury and was transported by ambulance from the scene.  Initially it was believed that Her was struck by a train, but the attending physicians later determined the injury  Her had sustained to his head was not consistent with being struck by a train.  Her died from a head injury caused by blunt force trauma to the head.  Investigators believe Her was struck by an unknown object at the hands of another person, not due to being struck by a train.

 

Moua Xiong (05-44963) – On December 17, 2005 at about 2:00 am 22 year old Moua Xiong was found sitting in his vehicle, which was a black Honda in the area of the highway 99 and Buhach Road near the city of Atwater.  Moua was found by passing motorist and had suffered multiple gunshot wounds which investigators believe occurred while he was inside his vehicle.

 

Eric Gonzalez (06-13812) – On April 16, 2006 at about 4:00 pm Eric Gonzalez was on Winton Way near a taco shop South of Santa Fe railroad tracks in Winton when he was approached by two Hispanic males.  According to witnesses Gonzalez appeared to know the subjects and subsequently ended up in a physical altercation during which Gonzalez was stabbed.  The suspects in this case were Hispanic males which reportedly left in an unknown direction in a red “town car” or “Mercury Marquis” type of vehicle with “nice” wheels on it.

 

Peter Moua (06-16514) – On May 6, 2006 at about 4:30 pm a shooting occurred at Lake Yosemite near the Fish and Game building.  Witnesses say a group of Asian males pulled up to a picnic area in a white Dodge Intrepid where another group including Moua was and an altercation started.  The subject from the white Dodge Intrepid began shooting as they were leaving.  Moua was taken to a local hospital by witnesses and alter died from the gunshot wound he sustained.  Witnesses say the subjects in the white Intrepid were Asian males.