UKIAH ? A man sought by authorities for alleged homicide and attempted homicide in Sonoma and Mendocino counties was arrested by Ukiah police Monday night, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff”s Department (MCSD).
Lt. Rusty Noe reported that Honorio Ruiz Pantaleon, 30, aka Victor Pantaleon went to a relative”s home in the South Dora area, south of the city of Ukiah. A person living in the home recognized Pantaleon and called the Ukiah Police Department. After a short scuffle during his arrest, Pantaleon was taken to the Sonoma County Jail, according to Noe.
“After the homicide case happens there, he will be brought up here so we can try him on the attempted homicide case we have here,” MCSD Lt. Dan Edwards said.
Edwards said he believed Pantaleon had family in Lakeport. According to a Ukiah Daily Journal report, Pantaleon has large letters tattooed across his chest and several other tattoos.
Pantaleon is held in Sonoma County on suspicion of stabbing the mother of his children to death in her Santa Rosa home Sunday evening. Ukiah authorities became involved when the MCSD dispatch center got a 9-1-1 call from a home in the 100 block of Thompson Avenue in Ukiah.
Edwards said Pantaleon went to the Thompson Avenue home of the stabbing victim”s 45-year-old mother early Monday morning and allegedly beat her with a rifle. Pantaleon”s children were living with the woman, according to Edwards.
Pantaleon was not found during a search by MCSD deputies, Ukiah police and a California Highway Patrol helicopter. Pantaleon fled on foot, and his 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer was found in Ukiah later Monday morning, according to Edwards.
“We put Grace Hudson Elementary School on State Street and Jefferson Lane on lockdown, and posted deputies at school there all day until school was out,” Edwards said.
Ukiah Police Captain Kurt Smallcomb said in a Ukiah Daily Journal report that authorities believed Pantaleon headed south from the woman”s home, which lead them to the school.
He said the woman was treated at the scene, and that she and the children were relocated to a safe place.
The murder case in Santa Rosa and the attempted murder case in Mendocino County are still under investigation, according to a Monday night MCSD press release.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
