CLEARLAKE – Police said Monday that they have arrested two people in connection with a Sept. 4 homicide.

Clearlake Police Chief Allan McClain said that last Friday the Lake County District Attorney's Office issued arrest warrants for Carmen Walsh and Michael Gil Truscott, 30, in connection with the shooting death of 30-year-old Anthony Richard Cruz.

Cruz was shot to death early on the morning of Sept. 4 as he stood at a window at the back of his home on Spruce Avenue.

He had reportedly confronted subjects at the back of his home where he was growing marijuana. Cruz died of a single gunshot wound to the chest, according to police.

McClain said Clearlake Police detectives dedicated an enormous amount of time to track down leads, gather evidence and interview anyone with information regarding this case, with their efforts leading to the arrest warrants for Walsh and Truscott.

Walsh, 40, whose occupation is listed as caregiver, was arrested on a charge of being an accessory on Friday and booked into the Lake County Jail on Saturday, McClain said.

She remains in custody on $35,000 bail and is set for arraignment Tuesday, according to jail records.

McClain clarified that Walsh is not the woman identified as Cruz's girlfriend who was a primary witness to the shooting.

McClain said Truscott is currently in custody in the state prison in Tracy on a parole violation.

Detectives served the arrest warrant, with a bail of $1 million on Truscott and he will be transferred to the Lake County Jail once he has served his time for the parole violation, McClain said.

Truscott and Cruz had been involved in a physical altercation some time before the murder, McClain said.

Police have had previous contacts with Truscott, including a parole sweep conducted in the summer of 2008 in which he was arrested for possession of drugs and paraphernalia, and being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition, as Lake County News has reported.

McClain said he couldn't offer further details at this time about the potential motive, how the crime was committed or the connections between the suspects and Cruz out of concern for the ongoing investigation.

Detectives continue to pursue physical evidence and potential witnesses, McClain said.

 

McClain asked that anyone with information regarding this investigation contact Det. Mike Ray at 707-994-8251.

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