Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

UPDATE: Pittsburg man arrested, 4-year-old girl dies from stolen vehicle collision in Antioch Wednesday

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The two pickup trucks involved in a fatal collision in Antioch on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. Screenshot of video by J. Guerrero from Facebook, courtesy of ABC7 News.

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Noe Saucedo arrest photo. By Contra Costa County Sheriff

The suspect who drove a stolen vehicle that collided into another vehicle on Somersville Road in Antioch was arrested. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility after being interviewed by detectives. (See news footage of the scene on ABC7, here.)

He is identified as 23-year-old Noe Saucedo of Pittsburg. He was booked on one count of murder and two counts of felony evading. He is being held in lieu of $1,050,000 bail.

This afternoon a 4-year-old girl who was injured in the collision was pronounced deceased at the hospital. She is not being identified.

The investigation into this collision is ongoing. Earlier, the countywide officer-involved protocol was invoked. The investigation is being handled by the D.A.’s Office, Office of the Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, and Antioch PD.

At about 12:47 this afternoon, the Office of the Sheriff received information of a stolen vehicle in Pittsburg. A Deputy Sheriff spotted the stolen vehicle, a Ford F-250 pickup truck on Bailey Road. The Deputy followed the vehicle as it headed eastbound on Highway 4. The Deputy did not activate the emergency lights on his vehicle.

As the suspect took the Somersville Road exit, he immediately accelerated at a high rate of speed. The Deputy then activated the emergency lights on his vehicle. Moments later, the suspect vehicle went through a red light at Somersville Road and collided into a Ford F-150 that was heading southbound.

Three people, including two children, were injured in the F-150. A 2-year-old and her mother remain in the hospital.

Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Mt. Diablo Adult Ed teacher arrested for rape of developmentally disabled student

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Daniel Gonzalez

By Sgt. Christine Magley, Concord Police Investigations Division / Special Victims Unit

On December 7, 2017, Concord Police received a report of a teacher at Loma Vista Adult Center who was allegedly having sex with a developmentally disabled adult student. The student was enrolled in the Bridge Program which aids students in the development of their independent living skills, academics and more. The suspect, identified as 55-year-old Daniel Gonzalez, was a teacher in the program offered through the Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s Adult Education Department.

The Concord Police Special Victims Unit led the investigation and determined the adult student had an intellectual development level of a young teenager and therefore, is considered a dependent adult. According to California Penal Code 261, it is illegal to have sex with a person who is incapable of consent due to a mental or developmental disability. Based on the facts discovered during the course of the investigation, the school district was notified and the teacher was immediately placed on an administrative leave of absence.

SVU detectives arrested Gonzalez and he was later transferred to the Martinez Detention Facility with a $2 million bail amount. The case is pending review by Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

Detectives are taking steps to identify other potential victims. Anyone with additional information regarding Gonzalez, please contact the Concord Police Department Special Victims Unit at 925-671-3020.

Walnut Creek man arrested in Danville residential burglary Wednesday morning

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Saleem Jaser from his Facebook profile.

Fast action by homeowner leads to arrest; suspect also questioned in Lafayette burglary

By Public Information Coordinator Geoff Gillette, Danville Police Department

A 27-year-old Walnut Creek man is in custody, following an early morning residential burglary in Danville. At approximately 6:00 a.m. on December 27, 2017, Danville Police were called to a home on Savona Court on a report of a subject entering a home.

Danville Police Chief Allan Shields said the homeowner called 911 immediately, then gathered her family and fled the premises. When police arrived on scene, they spotted a suspect identified as Saleem Jaser, 27, of Walnut Creek exiting the home with stolen items in hand. Jaser was taken into custody and booked in the Martinez Detention Facility on charges of burglary, robbery, trespassing, child endangerment, grand theft, possession of stolen property, and prowling. He’s being held on $485,000 bail.

Chief Shields said Jaser is also being questioned in connection with another residential burglary in Lafayette.

Shields praised the quick thinking and fast actions of the homeowner, which led to the arrest.

“This was a great result,” Shields said, “The homeowner kept their cool, acted swiftly, and as a result a criminal is now off the streets.”

For more information, contact Lt. Doug Muse at (925) 314-3700 or dmuse@danville.ca.gov

Contra Costa Sheriff announces findings in ICE detention complaints investigation

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Sheriff David Livingston, center, speaks with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (to his left) and staff during a tour of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Herald file photo.

Refutes claims made by illegal alien female inmates against West County Detention Facility

The West County Detention Facility in Richmond. Herald file photo

The Office of the Sheriff has completed its investigation into complaints raised by several Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) female detainees at the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) in Richmond, California. The complaints were first reported in a local newspaper. The Sheriff’s Office immediately launched an investigation. Investigators interviewed 110 witnesses, with audio recordings and translators where necessary, and viewed hundreds of hours of video surveillance recordings. They also examined log books, computer entries and other evidence. (See related article)

The investigation found that nearly all of the complaints were unfounded and unsubstantiated. Claims of being “locked down” for 23 hours a day were false. The most time any ICE detainee was confined to their dormitory room was one hour and 24 minutes. These “lock downs” are commonly done for facility counts or for administrative reasons. At WCDF the detainees have keys to their rooms and free use of common bathroom facilities.

In one example, the person who complained in the article of being confined to her room for 23 hours was in fact confined for several days in a room with a full toilet and sink. She was confined in such a manner for disciplinary purposes after she assaulted another detainee.

Sheriff David O. Livingston. From CCCSheriff website.

Regarding the use of “red” biohazard bags for toilet needs, there was no evidence that any detainee was forced to use the bags in that manner. In very few cases detainees did use the bags for that purpose in violation of policy. Biohazard bag distribution is now limited to those detainees who are ill or have other medical needs. All inmates are free to use the bathrooms at any time, and even during “lock down” periods of approximately one hour, by notifying a Deputy Sheriff by using the call button in their rooms.

There were two complaints alleging limited access to healthcare that also appear to be unfounded based on detainee interviews. However, Contra Costa Health Services will be reviewing those specific complaints.

“Consistent with independent ICE inspections, we found that the alleged policy violations were largely unfounded,” said Sheriff David Livingston. “In fact, many detainees told us they are well treated at the West County Detention Facility.”

Sheriff Livingston added, “Some issues were identified, such as the use of profanity by a staff member or the quicker replacement of detainees’ room keys when they are lost or damaged. We will use this opportunity to improve wherever we can.”

The investigation will now be provided to the California Attorney General as Sheriff Livingston promised he would do.

FBI: Bust of eight East County gang members on murder, conspiracy, pimping and firearms charges

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Eight alleged East County gang members who are suspects in a variety of crimes were arrested on Oct. 27. Photos by FBI Northern CA District

Arrested on Oct. 27th

By Allen Payton

FBI Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett of the Northern California District office and Interim Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton announced on Wednesday the Oct. 27th arrests of East County gang members suspected in two freeway shootings and other charges.

Bennett and Becton were joined by Pittsburg Police Chief Brian Addington and representatives from the Richmond Police Department, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, San Francisco SWAT, El Cerrito Police Department, Contra Costa County Probation Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Pablo Police Department, Concord Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.

Known as Operation Klap It Out, the joint effort resulted in the arrests of eight suspects and the seizure of a variety of firearms during the search warrants, according to FBI Public Information Officer Cameron Polan.

Seven suspects and alleged members of the Klap Sh**/Broad Day gang from Antioch and Pittsburg were identified as Darnell Keyon Lash age 24, D’Vance Jaquez Sumblin age 20, Javelle Cooksey age 19, Lester Gene Curry age 21 (as of Tuesday), Ezell Tommy Jenkins age 19, Dasheid Keyonta Lash age 21, and Larry Darnell Goines, Jr. age 32. An eighth suspect gang member, Giovante Boyd was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for murder, but was not included in the complaint filed by the DA’s office against the other seven.

According to the complaint they were charged with the following eight counts: conspiracy to commit a crime – murder, carrying a loaded firearm/street gang, possession of firearm by a felon – prior(s), dissuading a witness by force or threat, conspiracy to commit a crime – second degree burglary, carrying a loaded firearm/street gang, conspiracy to commit a crime – pimping, and street terrorism.

“All eight are currently in a preliminary hearing which has been ongoing since Monday,” Polan added.

12/21/17 UPDATE: Asked about the delay in announcing the arrests she replied, “The delayed announcement was due to new leads that were presented as a result of the search warrants executed. The investigators did not want to jeopardize the new information with a public announcement.”

See the charges filed against the seven suspects, here: Charges filed vs Operation Klap It Out gang suspects

The firearms seized during Operation Klap It Out.

Supervisors designate West County Detention Facility future expansion as mental health treatment facility

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The rendering of the white topped buildings shows the future expansion of the West Contra Costa Detention Facility, approved earlier this year.

Treatment will include administering psychotropic medications

By Daniel Borsuk

Unlike six months ago when Contra Costa County supervisors faced the rage of protestors opposed to the $95 million expansion of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond, supervisors approved without a whimper of protest a request by the Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston and Health Services Director Robert Walker to designate the expanded detention facility as a mental health treatment facility.

The item at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting was a consent item and did not draw either citizen or supervisor comment.

Supervisors unanimously approved the item.

That action was in sharp contrast to the time supervisors faced nearly 70 protestors opposed to Sheriff-Coroner Livingston’s proposal to expand the jail.  Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve the sheriff’s proposal at that time with Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond casting the lone dissenting vote.

In Tuesday’s vote, supervisors were complying with their action taken in June by designating the West County Detention Facility and the future West County Reentry, Treatment, and Housing Facility as mental health treatment facilities in accordance with California Penal Code Section 1369.1.  This will permit sheriff deputies or detention facility wards to administer psychotropic medications to persons in county custody who have been adjudged incompetent to stand trial due to mental disorder, refuse to take psychotropic medications and are unable to provide informed consent as recommended by the Health Services Director Dr. William Walker and Sheriff-Coroner Livingston.

“We have to be prepared to take all that comes regardless of their mental state, “said Sheriff-Coroner Livingston in June.  “I don’t have a choice.”

“Without medication, symptoms such as increased aggression, self-destructive acts, and severe behavior outbursts can jeopardize the safety of the inmate-patient, the other inmates, and the detention facility staff,” Dr. Walker and Sheriff Livingston jointly wrote in a memo to the supervisors.  “The Health Services Department, and the Office of the Sheriff remain committed to transferring individuals to treatment facilities in a timely manner.  These facilities, however, are crowded and have long waiting lists. The recommended extension of this designation to the West County detention facilities can help the county cope with the effect of delays beyond the county’s control.”

County Zoning for Solar Energy Generating Facilities Gets Green Light

Supervisors unanimously adopted a zoning ordinance that will pave the way for commercial solar energy generating facilities primarily built by Marin Clean Energy (MCE), which this year inked contracts with county supervisors and city councilmembers of 13 municipalities to be their clean energy options commencing in 2018.

County planning officials presented a map and an ordinance that allows commercial solar energy generating facilities in industrial and commercial zoning districts in unincorporated portions of the county.  Areas of the county’s northern waterfront stretching generally from Richmond to Bay Point were designated for the zoning designations.  There were no speakers in opposition or in favor of the zoning proposal, but supervisors did receive a Nov. 12 letter addressed to the county planning commission from Howdy Godey of El Cerrito encouraging planning commissioners to approve the zoning proposal.

“I enthusiastically support the adoption of general plan zoning amendments regarding solar generation facilities.” he wrote. “These actions will support the Contra Costa County Climate Action Plan (2015) by providing opportunities to build solar generation facilities that will lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with electric power generation.”

In addition to the county, the city councils of Concord, Danville, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Pinole, Pittsburg, Richmond, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek have signed contracts with MCE to serve as their clean energy option contractors.

In a related planning issue, supervisors directed Conservation and Development Department officials to budget up to $7 million to update the county’s General Plan that will require an update by 2020.  Supervisors also instructed department officials to budget $1.5 million to bring the county’s zoning code into the 21st Century.  The zoning code has not been updated since 1947 when the county had about 300,000 residents.  Today 1.2 million persons reside in the county.

Supervisors also approved as a consent item a new county library commission composition as recommended by the Library Commission and County Librarian Melinda Cervantes.  The reconstituted library commission was triggered mainly with the City of Richmond library leaving the county library system.

The new library commission composition will consist of 29 commissioners.  Supervisors must select a representative to serve on the library commission that represents the Contra Costa Central Labor Council, the Contra Costa Community College District, the East Bay Leadership Council, the Contra Costa Friends Council and the Contra Costa County Office of Education.  Library commissioners will serve four-year terms and serve in an advisory role to the board of supervisors and county librarian.  The library commission will meet at least quarterly and no more than six times a year.  There is no fiscal impact related to the newly reconstituted library commission.

County Sheriff alerts public to jury duty scam

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Public Notice – Jury Scam Alert

Past or prospective jurors are NEVER contacted by phone regarding failure to serve jury duty. All communication regarding failure to serve jury duty is done via U.S. mail. No court jury staff or Contra Costa County Sheriff’s staff ask past or prospective jurors to pay a fine or provide financial details including, credit card numbers, bank account, social security numbers or other personal information. Please do not provide this type of information to anyone.

If you receive a telephone call, from someone identifying himself or herself as a court employee or an employee of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department regarding a failure to appear for jury service, THIS IS A SCAM. DO NOT PROVIDE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION, OR PAY THEM ANY MONEY!

If you are contacted, please call the Jury Commissioner’s office at 925-608-1000.

Sheriff Deputies arrest teen in Discovery Bay school burglary, vandalism Wed. morning

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Discovery Bay entrance sign. By communityrealestateagent.com

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, C.C.C. Sheriff’s Office

Wednesday morning, Dec. 13 just after midnight, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a report of a burglary/suspicious person at the Discovery Bay Elementary School at 1700 Willow Lake Road in Discovery Bay.

Security at the school contacted a subject, who then fled and climbed onto the roof. Deputies arrived and were able to get the subject to come down and surrender.

Deputies interviewed the subject, a 14-year-old boy from Discovery Bay. He admitted to an earlier incident at the school Monday morning when Deputy Sheriffs responded to a report of a burglary. Apparently two laptops and other items were taken. There was also some vandalism at the school. One of the laptops was later recovered. He admitted graffiti and comments written by him were a prank. The boy is not being identified.

He was later arrested for burglary and vandalism.

County to refund $8.8 million in excessive Juvenile Hall housing, electronic monitoring fees

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Supervisors approve $17 million in bonds for Richmond senior housing project; $1.6 million for Walnut Creek affordable housing project

Example of an ankle monitor. Photo by securitycameraking.com

By Daniel Borsuk

Beginning next month, 6,000 and as many as 12,000 Contra Costa County residents will receive letters from the county that they could be entitled to refunds to be disbursed because the county Probation Department overcharged them fees for Juvenile Cost of Care and Cost of Electronic Surveillance of Minors. (See agenda item,  here.)

County Supervisors initiated the notification process at Tuesday’s board meeting on a 4-0 vote.  Letters printed in English and Spanish will be mailed to up to 6,000 individuals who may be due a refund because they may have been overcharged when they had a juvenile housed at a county juvenile hall facility from 2010 to 2016.  The county ceased assessing the fees in 2016.  The letters will instruct the recipients how to file for a claim.

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville was absent for the vote.

The county estimates parents of juveniles held in county juvenile hall facilities were overcharged $8.8 million dating back to 1990.

The board’s Public Safety Committee will review whether another 6,000 residents living in the county between 1990 and 2010 might be eligible for refunds.  Supervisors would also establish a procedure whereby residents could claim money that was improperly withheld when youths were detained in juvenile hall facilities.  Supervisors will determine if the county improperly overcharged for electronic monitoring fees.

Assistant County Administrator Timothy Ewell told supervisors there are about 12,000 cases that the county has identified from 1990 to 2016 that might be entitled to refund checks averaging $262 per account because of the work by Contra Costa supervisors did, and support from citizen organizations like the Racial Justice Coalition, statewide to make juvenile hall housing fees illegal on racial and financial hardship grounds.

Contra Costa is the first county in the state to begin the procedure of refunding money to parents or guardians of juveniles who were held in juvenile hall facility and were overcharged.

“No one is expecting a mad rush of people to file claims,” said District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond, who was a key player at the county and state level in igniting the juvenile hall overcharge refund movement.

District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff said it should be up to the claimants to show proof in the form of canceled checks, bank statements or some other proof of payment when filing a claim.

“Family members should never have been penalized,” admonished Willie Mims of the East County Branch of the NAACP.  “You should have the records and not lay that responsibility on the persons who might receive these letters.”

The fiscal impact to the General Fund is projected to be $136,000.

Supervisors OK Bonds for Multi-Family Housing Projects

Site of the approved Heritage Point Senior Apartments in North Richmond.

On a 5-0 vote, supervisors flashed the green light for construction to get underway for a $27 million senior housing project in North Richmond fronting the east side of Fred Jackson Way between Grove Avenue and Chelsey Avenue.  The 42-unit, Heritage Point Senior Apartments will be financed by the county with up to $17 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds.

It is a project of the Community Housing and Development Corporation of North Richmond (CHDC). According to their website, the organization was “founded in 1990 by local leaders…to eliminate blight, improve housing opportunities for current and future residents, and create better economic conditions.” It has since “added over 200 owner-occupied homes to the Richmond area along with street improvements, public services, senior and family rental housing.”

According to the staff report, there is “No impact to the General Fund. At the closing for the Bonds, the County is reimbursed for costs incurred in the issuance process. Annual expenses for monitoring of Regulatory Agreement provisions ensuring units in the Development will be rented to low income households will be reimbursed through issuer fees established in the documents for the Bonds. The Bonds will be solely secured by and payable from revenues (e.g. Development rents, reserves, etc.) pledged under the Bond documents. No County funds are pledged to secure the Bonds.”

Supervisors were informed that financing for the Heritage Point development is secure.  However, future affordable housing developments might be in jeopardy depending how the 2018 United States budget reform bill shapes up. Contra Costa County could potentially lose $3.5 million in bond financing for the North Richmond project if the budget reform bill is passed by Congress, said Maureen Toms of the Contra Costa County Conservation and Development Department.  Fortunately, the county has enough money in reserves to fill in funding gaps for projects like the Heritage Point development, she added.

Riviera Family Apartments. Rendering by RCD.

“This could be the tip of the iceberg on the potential elimination of public funding for future affordable housing developments,” Gioia warned.

In addition, the board approved converting $1.6 million in taxable bonds into tax-exempt bonds for a 58-unit, multi-family affordable housing apartment project in Walnut Creek. The Riviera Family Apartments will be located on two separate parcels, at 1515 and 1738 Rivera Avenue. The County had previously approved $19.2 million in tax-exempt bonds for the development in May 2016. The developer is Resources for Community Development in Berkeley. According to the staff report, no County funds are pledged to secure the bonds.

Honor 35-Year County Employee

In other action, the board honored Carmen Piña-Delgado who is the Supervising Real Property Agent with the Public Works Department in the Real Estate Division for her 35 years as a county employee. She started her career with the County Administrator’s Office as a Clerk-Experienced Level under the Affirmative Action Officer and due to budget cuts was let go. But, then in October, Piña-Delgado was rehired by the Health Services Department as a Clerk-Experienced Level in the Public Health Division.

In January 1992 she was promoted to the position of Real Property Technical Assistant in the Real Estate Division, where she has worked for the remainder of her career. In May 2001, Piña-Delgado graduated from Los Medanos College completing the Associate of Science Degree in Real Estate in order to qualify for advancement into the Real Property Agent Series. The resolution adopted by the Board recognizing her service states, she “has a great work ethic and has made a difference in the Public Works Department by delivering quality services in each division, County-wide, and with outside agencies/consultants.”

Antioch police arrest “prime suspect” in 37-year-old Bombardier murder case Monday

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Mitchell Lee Bacom, now and as he looked in the 1980’s. Photos courtesy of APD

“Justice for Suzanne” means “Antioch is safer, tonight”

Suzanne Bombardier. Herald file photo

By Allen Payton

At around 5:00 p.m. Monday evening, the family of Suzanne Bombardier whose kidnapping, rape and murder had gone unsolved for 37 years, finally had closure when Antioch police arrested 63-year-old Mitchell Lynn Bacom at his home in Antioch. During a press conference Monday night, Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks announced the arrest saying he was “ecstatic” and credited retired Captain Leonard Orman, DNA testing by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Lab and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.

Bacom, an Antioch resident, was arrested without incident in front of his house in the 300 block of West Madill.

“This closes the oldest, open cold case homicide on record with the Antioch Police Department,” Brooks stated, and then thanked “Suzanne Bombardier’s family for not giving up hope,” although “it would not bring Suzanne back.” He further said it was solved through “patience and persistence.”

Orman was brought back to work on the case, earlier this year after the DNA was sent to the crime lab two years ago and got a hit by CODIS, the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, in May. Interim DA Diana Becton gave credit to Paul Holes, her office’s Cold Case Investigator and Chief of Forensic and the Safe Streets Task Force.

“Justice may not have come as swiftly as we would like,” she stated, and said her office will be filing charges against Bacom tomorrow of “murder with use of a deadly weapon and additional charges, as well.”

Bombardier was taken in the middle of the night from her sister’s home at 3421 Hudson Court in Antioch while babysitting. She was missing for approximately five days and eventually found deceased in the San Joaquin River near the Antioch Bridge. Her cause of death was determined to be one stab wound to the chest which penetrated her heart. Evidence at the time indicated she had been sexually assaulted.

Numerous suspects and persons of interest were developed and investigated over the years. Some were eliminated while others remained unresolved until recently. Bacom was one of the original suspects in the case, “the prime suspect” according to former Antioch Detective Greg Glod who worked the case, along with retired Detective Ron Rackley who first took the report that initiated the investigation in 1980.

Two years ago, during the 35th anniversary of the murder, they and retired Antioch Sgt. Larry Hopwood asked then Chief Allan Cantando to reopen the case and offered to serve as a volunteer cold case squad. They launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the cold case. (See related article). Later that year the DNA was sent to the crime lab for testing.

Through that DNA testing, one of the suspects, 63-year-old Mitchell Lynn Bacom of Antioch, has been determined to be responsible for these heinous crimes. He is currently being held on the charges of murder, kidnapping, rape and oral copulation.

“He was never off the suspect list,” Brooks stated, and that “he was known to Suzanne and the family.”

“That’s who we always suspected,” Rackley stated, when reached for comment following the press conference. “We can finally sleep again.”

“I knew this all along,” Glod said when reached at his home in the Washington, D.C. area, where he now works for the U.S. Secret Service as an instructor at their academy. “He was clearly the prime suspect, clearly in my mind, from the beginning.”

Suspect Had History of Violent Crime

Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks was joined by (L-R) Antioch Police Captain Diane Aguinaga and retired Captain Leonard Orman, as well as Paul Holes, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Investigator and Chief of Forensics, and Interim Contra Costa DA Diana Becton.

In 1973, Bacom was arrested in Mountain View, Ca. for rape, robbery, assault with intent to commit murder and oral copulation. As a result of that investigation, he was convicted in 1974 of first and second-degree burglary, assault with intent to murder and sodomy. He was sentenced to five years to life.

In February of 1981, Bacom was arrested for robbery and rape in Isleton, California. As a result of that case, he was convicted of first degree burglary, robbery, rape and sodomy. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

In 2002, Bacom was convicted in Contra Costa County of failing to properly register as a sex offender and sentenced to four years in prison. This conviction was the result of a Pittsburg PD investigation.

When the biological evidence was originally collected in this case, DNA testing did not exist as a method of determining guilt in our justice system. Over the years, the Antioch Police Department and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office have monitored developments in DNA testing in the hopes that advancements would be made allowing this evidence to be processed and a DNA profile developed. In 2015, the decision was made to submit the biological evidence to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory in an effort to develop a DNA profile. This lab was equipped to conduct some of the most advanced available DNA testing. In early 2017, the department was notified that a CODIS hit was made tentatively identifying Mitchell Lynn Bacom as the perpetrator. Additional testing was required in order to confirm the identification.

Glod spoke about Bacom’s history of crime, saying, “I’m amazed how he got out of prison on the first one” and that “he was on parole when this took place,” referring to the Bombardier murder.

Media from throughout the Bay Area was in attendance for the Tammany Brooks’ first press conference as Antioch Police Chief.

He gave credit to former Antioch Detective Guy Worth, who is currently battling cancer, and “is probably dancing, right now. He was instrumental…he did all he could to keep this case alive, in spite of all he’s going through.”

Glod also thanked the media for their articles and TV news segments in 2015 and 2016.

“I appreciate people like you (referring to the Herald), Henry Lee from KTVU, the Contra Costa Times and Jennifer Gibbbons, the author who wouldn’t let this go,” he stated.

“Although we are ecstatic an arrest has been made in this case it will not bring Suzanne back into her family’s lives,” Brooks said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Suzanne Bombardier’s family and we hope this mystery being solved offers some level of comfort for them.”

“Although in recent years there was some question relative to our commitment regarding this investigation, we never gave up on bringing this case to a resolution,” he shared. “The reality was that science had to make advances in order for a positive identification of the killer to be made. It was through patience, persistence, networking, modern investigative techniques and scientific advances that this case was solved.”

“I’m glad that people didn’t forget, the Antioch Police Department and District Attorney’s Office,” Glod said. “They were instrumental in solving this. It’s a good day for Antioch. Antioch did not forget their citizen. It’s great news for the family and all the friends who have been traumatized by this. We finally got some justice for Suzanne Bombardier.”

“It’s bringing some closure for me in my life,” he added. “This is a great moment for me. I’m glad to see it was him they arrested. This is big news.”

More Work Still To Be Done

When reached for comment, Orman said, “It was good to see it to this point,” knowing that there is still more work to be done following the arrest. “Antioch is safer tonight and that’s what matters,” he added.

“This does not constitute the end,” Brooks confirmed during his first press conference since becoming Chief in May, stating that the department needed to determine if Bacom has been involved in any other crimes.

As such, the Antioch Police Department will be networking with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to determine if Mitchell Lynn Bacom has been involved in other murders and/or sexual assaults. We encourage anyone with information regarding this case to contact the Antioch Police Department. Additionally, we are hoping to hear from any of Mitchell Lynn Bacom’s past victims, including those who may have never made reports to law enforcement.

Anyone wanting to provide information relative to Mitchell Lynn Bacom’s criminal conduct may contact Detective Leonard Orman at (925) 779-6918. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH