The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Units worked collaboratively to solve a home invasion robbery from last year.
On May 14, 2013 at about 8:30PM, two men broke into the home of an 86 year old woman living on Stage Gulch Road in Petaluma. They stole money, credit cards, keys, a purse, a wallet, and her phone.
During the break-in, the suspects shattered a window to force entry into her home. Patrol Deputies collected several pieces of the broken glass that had potential evidence on them and stored those pieces in evidence.
CSI Detectives processed the glass and found evidence which they sent to the Department of Justice for DNA analysis.
In May this year, a report was generated by the DOJ that indicated the results of the DNA analysis were conclusive, and that the person who left that evidence at the scene of the robbery was Daniel Ortega Ornelas, Jr.
Based on the DNA analysis report, a Detective from the Violent Crimes Unit sought a warrant for the arrest of Ornelas. A Judge issued the warrant with a bail amount of $250,000.
On August 21, 2014, Vallejo Police Department made a traffic stop on a car and discovered Ornelas within. Ornelas, a 22 year old from Vallejo, was already on probation in Solano and Napa counties for drug possession and possession of stolen property. A records check by the Vallejo PD Officer revealed the Sonoma County arrest warrant. Ornelas was booked into Solano County Jail, whereupon they informed our agency.
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office VCI Detectives went to the Solano County Jail and spoke with Ornelas who acknowledged he had been inside the victim’s house at the time of the crime.
Daniel Ornelas was extradited to Sonoma County and was booked into the Main Adult Detention Facility for the warrant charging three felonies: First Degree Burglary, Robbery and Elder Abuse. He was arraigned on August 26, 2014 and remains in custody on the charges.
A Detective later spoke with the victim and told her that one of the suspects had been identified and arrested.
#130514-022
Prepared by Sergeant Cecile Focha
Media Relations/ PIO
