Suspect in Thanksgiving attack now faces charge for murder
A Sonora man accused of a Thanksgiving Day assault on two elderly men he lived with is now charged with murder after one of the alleged victims died from his injuries, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday.
Anthony Manuel Quintero, 32, was arrested
Nov. 26 on suspicion of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse with serious bodily injury stemming from the alleged attack a day earlier at a residence on the 20300 block of Green Acres Drive where all three were said to be living.
The Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday that one of the alleged victims, Frank Maruschak, 77, died from his injuries after being transported to a hospital in Modesto on the night of the incident.
Deputy Niccoli Sandelin, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office, said detectives are currently not releasing the name,
age or current condition of the other alleged victim, who was also said to have suffered injuries described as serious at the time.
Sandelin also said the events leading up to the alleged attack, whether any weapons were used and any potential motive were all still under investigation.
The Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on Nov. 30 that deputies responded on the night of Thanksgiving to the Green Acres Drive residence, where it was reported that two elderly men had been physically attacked.
Deputies found two men at the scene suffering from serious injuries from the alleged attack, the release said. Both were transported to an undisclosed hospital for medical treatment.
An investigation determined a third person who lived on the property was the suspected attacker, and had left before deputies arrived.
Sheriff’s detectives came out to investigate further before putting out a “be-on-the-lookout” advisory to other law enforcement agencies for Quintero.
A California Highway Patrol officer came across Quintero the following day walking on Highway 108 near Clarks Fork Road, east of Donnell Vista and west of Dardanelle Resort.
Quintero was taken into custody and booked into the Dambacher Detention Center in Sonora at 11:44 a.m. Nov. 26 on suspicion of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse resulting in great bodily injury, all felonies, as well as misdemeanor resisting arrest.
Jail booking logs at the time of his initial arrest showed Quintero’s bail was set at $500,000. His occupation was listed as unemployed.
Online records showed that Quintero remained in custody at the jail as of Thursday.