Cal Fire Chief Accused Of Murdering Girlfriend May Have Had Help Escaping From Police
ELK GROVE (CBS13/AP) — A firefighter turned murder suspect is on the loose, possibly armed with a number of weapons, after police say he killed his fiancée. Now sheriff's department investigators believe he could be out of the state.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Orville "Mo" Fleming is accused of brutally murdering his 26-year-old girlfriend, Sarah Jane Douglas.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said widespread media reporting on the murder has resulted in tips as far away as Oregon.
Investigators say their investigation revealed Fleming had contact with escorts he met through the website MyRedbook.com. They are looking into the possibility that the escorts, people he met through the escorts, or other acquaintances helped him evade capture.
His official state vehicle, a Cal Fire pickup truck, was found unoccupied Thursday night in Elk Grove.
Fleming, 55, is a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection battalion chief who has taught for several years at the department's fire training academy in Ione, about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento.
The agency is trying to grapple with what happened at the couple's Elk Grove home. Douglas' family says they found Douglas brutally murdered and left face down on the floor.
Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Lisa Bowman said Fleming is thought to have ties to the neighborhood where the truck was left, as well as the Fresno area. In a statement, she said he is known to own firearms and is believed to be armed.
Investigators urge anyone who had contact with Fleming following the murder to contact with them. Tip information may be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com, by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and entering the keyword 'SSD', or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477).