'Keep your space': Wesley Brownlee's neighbors reveal the chilling behavior of suspected Stockton killer
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA: The mystery around the Stockton serial killer has started to unravel as police have arrested a potential suspect and charged him with three out of five murders that the officials believe were connected. The police apprehended Wesley Brownlee, 43, in connection with these deaths and he appeared in court on Tuesday, October 18. Stockton police explained that they have effectively prevented a killing and had followed Brownlee while he was driving and determined he was on a mission to kill. The police chief explained that he was arrested around 2 am on October 15 while he was "out hunting."
One neighbor, Michael Wilson who lived a few doors down from Brownlee's, told CBS Sacramento that he knew he had to maintain his distance and it was known that no one should push his buttons. Wilson told that he saw the 43-year-old suspect several times and said, "Sometimes he had an attitude problem that was kind of like...keep your space from me." Wilson further reflected on Brownlee's behavior saying he would get agitated if neighbors would park in his spot and even threw a man's wheelchair in a heated argument once. One neighbor told the outlet that he passed Brownlee several times and never imagined that he would be accused of something like this. Another crucial revelation by the police shows that one of Brownlee's victims, Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, was his neighbor and he might have known him.
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It was also revealed that Brownlee recently moved from the Oakland area to Stockton where he has some relatives, as explained by District Attorney Tori Verber-Salazar in a news conference after Brownlee's appearance in court. Brownlee was first arrested in 1997 for possession of cocaine and served two years in prison for it. He was accused of the same crime in 2001 and served three years. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation revealed that he was out on parole again in May 2003 and discharged from parole in May 2006. Three years later, in 2009, he was arrested in San Joaquin County on DUI charges.
Stanley McFadden, the chief of police in Stockton, California, stated on Saturday, October 15, that "Early this morning he was on a mission to kill, he was out hunting." The chief continued, "He was wearing dark clothing and had a mask around his neck. He was also armed with a firearm when he was taken into custody. We are sure we stopped another killing." Verber-Salazar, as reported by KCRA, explained that more charges might follow saying, "We charged the cases today because we believe we have sufficient evidence to pursue these charges and prove them beyond a reasonable doubt. We are also confident that additional charges will be added."
Brownlee is currently being charged with the murders of Jonathan Rodriguez Hernandez, 21, Juan Cruz, 52, and Lawrence Lopez, previously identified as Lorenzo Lopez, 52. McFadden later told KCRA 3, "Throughout the surveillance, he was lurking around parks. He was lurking around in dark areas, just different areas that might have proved to be an area for him to kill. Once we knew he encountered an area where there was someone that was vulnerable and alone and in a dark place, that's when we acted. What it was was his walk. I’ll be honest with you: the stride. That’s what people were keying in on."
