Police Search Home Of Suspect Accused Of Killing Wheatland Resident Ralph Mendez
WHEATLAND (CBS13) - A deadly shooting in Wheatland led police to a nearby home where they discovered two pipe bombs.
Panicked is how McCurry St. resident, Dylans Stearns describes the moment Wheatland police officers knocked on his door Wednesday afternoon.
"Open the door, I realize there's an officer standing there. 'You need to evacuate everyone outside of the house,'" said Stearns.
Police discovered the bombs while serving a search warrant at this McCurry Street home after they say its owner, 44-year-old Rory Banks shot and killed Ralph Mendez on G Street just a mile and a half away.
"We located a couple of suspicious devices that looked similar to a pipe bomb," said Wheatland Police Chief Damiean Sylvester.
The bombs forced neighborhood evacuations.
"In an abundance of caution, we evacuated that residents until the devices can be safely removed," said Sylvester. "We believe Mr. Banks targeted the victim."
Although Sylvester says, the two didn't know each other personally.
"We believe the suspect knew the victim lived in our community and had some kind of grudge against that victim that led him to commit this homicide," he said.
CBS13 has learned that the victim, 55-year-old Ralph Mendez, was registered as a sex offender on the Megan's Law website.
Mendez was convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 in 2009. Police would not confirm whether this was a motive in the shooting.
"We have yet to fully discover what the motive is for this homicide," said Sylvester.