Derek Spencer, 44, is believed to have killed Cheryl Macy, 76, and had been on the run for nearly 20 hours, the Placer County sheriff said. Wayne Woo said during a press conference. Spencer was first wanted after pointing a firearm at people in Placer County, in addition to other alleged felonies. The sheriff’s office said that when deputies found Spencer around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, he rammed a vehicle stolen in El Dorado County into one of their patrol cars and managed to escape. Woo explained that Spencer had rammed the vehicle with enough force to disable it and prevent him from pursuing it. While searching for Spencer, investigators found a woman, later identified as Macy, who had been shot to death inside a home, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies believe Spencer was at this home earlier and shot the woman before running into the woods. Woo said it is believed the two did not know each other. COMPLETE PRESS CONFERENCE | Placer sheriff details chaotic standoff and fatal deputy shooting. When deputies found Spencer around 2:30 pm Sunday, he is believed to have fired at them and a sheriff’s office helicopter. Officers later lost sight of Spencer until the Monday morning standoff, when they tracked him in the Iowa Hill area using helicopter infrared technology. Woo said the shooting lasted more than two hours before Spencer died shortly after 4:30 a.m. Monday. Because Spencer had started multiple fires in the area, a Washoe County Sheriff’s Office helicopter in Nevada had to airlift his body from the area because the flames were 90 yards from the shooting scene. The fires also complicated detective work in responding to the Macy’s death investigation, Woo said. Because of the standoff, firefighters were also unable to immediately respond to the nearby Mineral Fire that broke out Sunday morning on Iowa Hill Road. At this time, investigators believe Spencer started the Mineral Fire, which is still spewing smoke as of Monday morning. Spencer was believed to be from the Fair Oaks area of Sacramento County, Woo said. Officers recovered a handgun and a rifle after the shooting. Eight different SWAT teams responded to this, including those from Mono and Inyo counties, Woo said, explaining that the area where the shooting occurred was on steep, rugged terrain. Spencer is also believed to have been involved in an armed carjacking on Saturday in El Dorado County, according to the Foresthill Fire Protection District and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. There is currently a perimeter on Iowa Hill Road at Grand View Avenue. storyKCRA 3 was tipped off that Spencer was arrested in Sacramento County last week. Court records show he was released from the Sacramento County Jail on Thursday, September 17. Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ed Igoe confirmed that Spencer has been booked three times this month: once by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office for felony vandalism, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and resisting arrest. (September 3) Once by the Folsom Police Department for theft (September 14) Once by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office for stealing a vehicle (September 16) Spencer was released on bail for the sheriff’s office arrests on September 3 and September 16. Do you see the news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at kcra.com/upload. See more coverage of California’s top stories here | Download our application | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source on Google
