2 suspects arrested following double shooting in Santa Rosa

SAN RAFAEL -- Santa Rosa police arrested a man and a woman Wednesday a week after a shooting left two victims critically hurt.

The shooting happened on October 28 just before 9 p.m. on Quigg Drive near Mission Boulevard and Sonoma Highway/Highway 12. Santa Rosa police said responding officers found one victim in the middle of Mission Blvd. suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital for life-threatening injuries.

While officers tended to that victim, a second gunshot victim was found on the 4600 block of Quigg Drive. He was also transported to a hospital with injuries that were life-threatening. 

Both victims are Sonoma County residents in their early 30s and each was shot at least two times. Both were in critical but stable condition and expected to survive their injuries. 

The investigation determined the victims were shot following an altercation on Quigg Drive, and detectives identified Santa Rosa residents Marcell Battiest, 28, and Valerie Saenz, 25, as the suspects in the shooting. Detectives believe Saenz knew at least one of the victims and arranged a meeting on the night of October 28. Police said during the meeting, Battiest pulled out a gun and shot the victims several times, and both Battiest and Saenz fled before officers arrived. 

Officers found a handgun at the crime scene which is being tested to see if it was used in the shooting. The purpose of the meeting and why it escalated to an altercation and a shooting were still under investigation.

On Wednesday afternoon, Santa Rosa police officers contacted both Battiest and Saenz during a traffic stop on Steele Lane and Coffey Lane in Santa Rosa. Both suspects were detained and taken to police headquarters while officers served a search warrant at Battiest's home on the 1900 block of Terry Road. 

After finding additional evidence, both Battiest and Saenz were arrested on attempted murder charges and booked into the Sonoma County jail. Battiest is currently pending trial in Sonoma County for a 2021 armed robbery arrest in Santa Rosa. He is now being held on $2.5 million bail while Saenz is being held on $1 million bail. She also faces accessory to attempted murder charges.