Suspects Arrested In Murder Of Lodi Doctor Appear In Court
STOCKTON (CBS13) — The 79-year-old man arrested for the murder of a doctor appeared in front of a judge on Thursday along with three other suspects.
The fourth suspect was arrested on Wednesday night.
Dr. Thomas Shock was gunned down at his doorway two months after the state ordered the surrender of his license following a complaint filed against him by the wife of one of the suspects.
RELATED: Murder Suspect's Wife At Center Of Complaint Against Slain Lodi Doctor
Robert Lee, 79, is the oldest of the four suspects arrested within the last few days accused of shooting and killing Dr. Tom Shock in his upscale neighborhood in Lodi.
A complaint to the podiatric board states Lee's wife was treated for a hangnail by Shock with antibiotics in 2011, but she was suffering from a fungal infection. The board chided Shock for not taking culture samples. Months later, she would need half of her foot amputated due to a bone infection.
In court, Lee's daughter Cheri Lee told the judge the family has hired a lawyer from Walnut Grove to represent their dad. She declined to talk with us outside the courtroom but did speak to us at her home, after her father's arrest on Wednesday.
RELATED: 4th Suspect Arrested In Murder Of Lodi Doctor Thomas Shock
"All he does is nap, he's almost 80-year-old, my dad, I don't know, I don't understand this," she said.
Police arrested Lee on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and soliciting to commit murder. Also arrested, Christopher Costello, Mallory Stewart and now Raymond Jacquett.
"There were a lot of people that you know, knew Dr. Shock, you know that were close to him, and you know it's, one of those things, the community really wanted this to end in an arrest," said Sgt. Ricardo Garcia, Lodi Police Department.
Lee's deceased wife was Dr. Shock former patient. In 2014, she filed a complaint against him with the California Board of Podiatric Medicine after treatment for what began as a hangnail led to a partial foot amputation. The doctor was placed on probation.
A second complaint in 2016 while he was still on probation lead to Shock surrendering his license in June 2018.
"Part of the ongoing investigation, what we're still working on determining, you know, how they know each other and what their involvement is," said Garcia.
Detectives say they are no longer looking for any more suspects. The doctor's son spoke about his father in a written statement on Wednesday.
"My father was an unbelievable man, his passing has created suffering that I don't think our family could ever imagine," said Tracy Shock, Dr. Shock's son.
All four men are expected to be back here in court Oct. 12 for further arraignment.