Detectives arrest two suspects in 2020 fatal shooting at south Sacramento house party
Detectives arrested two suspects charged with murder nearly 19 months after gunshots were fired at a south Sacramento house party, killing a 19-year-old man and wounding four other people.
Julian Jason Brown, 22, and Anthony Smith, 26, were arrested in connection with the shooting death of Joseph Michael Almanza of Sacramento, the Sacramento Police Department announced on social media Wednesday afternoon. The Police Department did not release any further details about the arrests.
Brown and Smith were booked at the Sacramento County Jail on warrants for their arrest on homicide charges two weeks ago, according to jail records. Brown was booked at the jail Dec. 21, and Smith was booked Dec. 23. They both remained in custody Wednesday at the jail and were being held there without bail.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office on Dec. 9 filed a criminal complaint against Brown and Smith, charging them each with one count of murder and four counts of firing a gun from a vehicle, according to Sacramento Superior Court records.
Brown was arraigned Dec, 23 and is scheduled to return to court Jan. 27. Smith also is scheduled to return to court Jan. 27 for a bail review hearing.
Four men and a 16-year-old boy were wounded in the June 6, 2020, shooting at the party on Gardendale Road in the Meadowview neighborhood, the Police Department said at the time in a news release. Almanza died as a result of his injuries despite live-saving efforts of officers, medics and hospital staff, police said.
Police said officers encountered a chaotic scene after receiving multiple reports of shots fired during some type of dispute about 7:20 p.m. in the 2900 block of Gardendale Road, just west of Luther Burbank High School. Officers found three gunshot victims at the scene and were advised two others had transported themselves to a local hospital.
Officials have not released the names of the other shooting victims, who were medically treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
