Elk Grove mother and son arrested, accused of assaulting girlfriend; drugs, guns and cash found
An Elk Grove mother and her adult son face a series of criminal charges — including one of attempted murder — after an alleged domestic violence incident at their home last week prompted an investigation in which officers found drugs, guns and more than $100,000 in cash, police said.
Xiu Wu Liu, 37, and his mother Yu Yan Weng, 61, have been in custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail since they were arrested on Friday. That morning around 3:30 a.m., officers were sent to their home to investigate a 911 call that was hung up, the Elk Grove Police Department announced Wednesday in a news release.
Officers learned there had been a dispute between Liu’s girlfriend, who does not live with Liu, and Liu’s mother, who lives at the home with her son. Police said the dispute escalated when the mother slapped Liu’s girlfriend.
The man then pushed his girlfriend to the ground and choked her, according to the Police Department. The boyfriend and his mother allegedly threatened to harm the girlfriend’s family if she notified police.
Police said Liu forcibly moved the girlfriend to another room against her will and continued to assault her before he grabbed a gun, pointed the firearm at her and threatened her again. She was able to call 911.
The officers arrived at the home and detained Liu and his mother. At one point, Weng told the officers she was cold and asked if she could grab a jacket. Weng allowed officers to escort her inside her home, where the officers spotted a short-barrel rifle “in plain view in the living room,” police said.
Liu and Weng appeared for their arraignment Wednesday afternoon in Sacramento Superior Court. A judge ordered the son and his mother to remain in custody without bail at the request of prosecutors, said Shelly Orio, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Orio said Liu and Weng are scheduled to return to court Tuesday for a bail review hearing.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the house. Police said investigators searched the house and found more than $135,000 in cash, 2 pounds of a suspected controlled substance, 52 pounds of processed marijuana packaged for sale, two handguns and one short-barrel rifle.
Sgt. Jason Jimenez, a police spokesman, said he could not say what is believed to be the controlled substance until it has been identified through chemical test. He declined to give information about the location of the incident, citing policy on domestic violence cases.
Liu was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, kidnapping, possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of marijuana for sale, authorities said.
His mother was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of marijuana for sale, making criminal threats, possession of a short-barrel rifle and preventing or dissuading a victim from reporting to police.
