Sacto 9-1-1

The Sacramento Bee's Crime blog is a comprehensive report of crime news, trends and information for your community and beyond.

From Sandy Louey:

Sacramento police have arrested three teens believed to be responsible for three Natomas area armed robberies.

The three, a 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds, were arrested on suspicion of robbery in West Sacramento Tuesday night.

They were arrested after a person called the police with information about the suspects, said Officer Michelle Lazark, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento Police Department.

Police said the teens are responsible for robbing three businesses: the Pizza Hut at 604 W. El Camino Ave. on Nov. 13; the Mountain Mike's Pizza restaurant at 1589 W. El Camino Ave.; and the Wendy's at 4180 Northgate Blvd. on Dec. 1.

In all the robberies, the robbers pulled shirts over their heads and used a handgun to take money from the cash registers, police said.

Lazark said police are looking to see if the three are connected with other robberies.

The Bee is not identifying the suspects because they are juveniles.

Below is one of the surveillance photos, released earlier by police, that was taken at one of the robberies.

phut.JPGFrom Sandy Louey:

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Sacto 9-1-1 Q&A

Q: What happened to the killer of Martin Fischalek?


A: Robert Doyle Bratton was sentenced on Jan. 3, 1990, to 25 years to life in prison for the slaying of Martin Fischalek, according to Sacramento Superior Court records.

A Sacramento Superior Court on jury on Aug. 18, 1989, convicted Bratton on four murder and robbery charges in the slaying of Fischalek, his 59-year-old neighbor.

Fischalek was beaten and stabbed to death during a robbery in his Vista Avenue home in south Sacramento County.

Bratton was 17 when the crimes occurred Aug. 2, 1988, but was ordered to be tried as an adult because of the nature of the crimes. Although the charges[ included the special circumstances required for a capital-punishment case, Bratton was protected by law from the capital charges faced by an adult.

During the two-week trial, the prosecution painted a picture of a ruthless killer who needed drug money and ended up beating Fischalek with the leg of a wooden chair and slashing his throat with a kitchen knife. The dead man's stereo, wallet and car were taken.

Fischalek's body was found Aug. 4, 1988, by two of his fellow mechanics who went to check on him when he failed to show up for work at the Niello auto dealerships on Arden Way.

Perhaps the most crucial evidence against Bratton was a tape recording of a conversation he had with a man who struck a deal with investigators to tape his meeting with the suspect.

The jury listened to the recorded discussion of details Williamson described as things that could be known only by the killer.


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