Butte County youth held after boy, 13, found shot dead in Oroville field

Butte County authorities recovered the body of a 13-year-old boy shot dead and dumped in an Oroville field and now another youth is being held in the child’s killing.

Oroville police found signs of the deadly shooting inside an abandoned stolen vehicle. The discovery Tuesday afternoon led Butte County sheriff’s detectives to a field near the intersection of 18th Street and Tehama Avenue in Oroville and the body authorities later identified as Amadeus Miller-Ramos, 13, Butte County Sheriff’s officials said in a news release.

Sheriff’s detectives say Miller-Ramos likely was fatally shot inside the vehicle and his body dropped into the field. Detectives surmise four juveniles including Miller-Ramos were inside the vehicle. One of the youths was “manipulating” a gun when it went off, firing a single shot that killed the 13-year-old, officials said in the statement.

Oroville police arrested the youth who allegedly fired the fatal shot, booking the youth into Butte County juvenile custody.

Darrell Smith

The Sacramento Bee

916-321-1040

Darrell Smith is a local reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He joined The Bee in 2006 and previously worked at newspapers in Palm Springs, Colorado Springs and Marysville. Smith was born and raised at Beale Air Force Base and lives in Elk Grove.