Today at approximately 10:40 AM, a concerned citizen called the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Tip Line. The caller stated that they recognized the man captured by surveillance video during the robbery of a Cotati market last evening. The person said they preferred to remain anonymous, but were able to describe the suspect and truck.
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crime Detectives immediately began working on the new leads and soondeveloped information about a suspect. Detectives then went to the suspect’s residence, where they located the truck parked in front of the residence. Shortly thereafter detectives observed the suspect exit the residence at which time he was contacted and ultimately arrested.
The suspect, Noel Cortez Ortiz, a 34 year old man from Petaluma, was arrested at his home on Acorn Drive in Petaluma without incident. Ortiz was positively identified on the market surveillance camera as the man robbing the store.
While there remains more work to be done on this case, we want to express our appreciation for the assistance our communitymembers provided. The person who came forward and spoke-up about the identity of the suspect was instrumental in solving this crime.
A press release was issued to the public at 10:05 AM this morning and by 10:45 AM we had our first tip. Within three hours of receiving the tip, detectives had the suspect in custody.
Ortiz was booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility for robbery. His bail is set at $50,000 and he is scheduled to appear before a judge on Wednesday October 21.
Prepared by Sergeant Cecile Focha
Media Relations / PIO
