December 4, 2021 – Merced – On December 2, 2020, Jeffery Lee Crawford (37) of Winton and Armando Partida-Sanchez (32) of Livingston were killed during an exchange of gunfire in the 1100 block of E. Santa Fe Avenue in the city of Merced. Anthony Ruben Perez (37) of Winton (pictured below in blue) was identified as a suspect early in the investigation and has been on the run since.

On November 22, 2021, Merced PD Detectives and GVSU Officers followed up on a lead pertaining to this double homicide. Manuel Martinez (47) of Merced was identified as possible suspect. Martinez was located and after questioning, he confirmed his involvement in this double homicide.

Martinez (pictured above) was arrested and booked into the Merced County Jail for murder, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and prohibited person in possession of ammunition.

Case Number: 20-67044

Merced Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this incident to contact Detective Pinnegar at (209) 388-7712 or by email at pinnegarj@cityofmerced.org.

Other ways to contact us or report crime include:

For any emergency call or text 911

For non-emergency call 209-385-6912

Anonymous Tip Line (Non-emergency) call 209-385-4725

Anonymous Tips online at http://www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org/index.html.

Some crimes can be reported online through the Merced PD website https://www.cityofmerced.org/departments/police.

Source: Merced Police Department