April 1, 2026 – Merced County Sheriff's Office officials report that at 2:50 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Deputies responded to a residence in the 2600 block of Cedar Crest Court in Merced for a burglary in progress. As Deputies arrived in the area, they saw the victim's vehicle leaving the residence, driven by an unknown subject.

Our Deputies pursued the vehicle for a short distance before the driver stopped the car near Redwood Drive and ran away on foot. The subject was later located hiding on the side of a residence near the 2900 block of Redwood Drive. The suspect, identified as 53-year-old Billie Latham, was booked into the Merced County Jail for burglary, vehicle theft, committing a felony while on bail, petty theft with prior convictions, and resisting arrest.

Thank you to the California Highway Patrol for assisting our deputies in their investigation. At this time, we believe this is an isolated incident. This remains an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident can contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office at 209.385.7445.

Source & photo: Merced County Sheriff's Office