Vacaville Murder Suspect Arrested in Washington State

A suspect in a July murder was arrested in Washington state Monday night, a Vacaville police sergeant said today.

Rico Marquez Espitia, 21, was arrested in Ocean Shores on the Pacific Coast in Washington around 9 p.m., Sgt. Jeff King said.

He is the primary suspect in the murder of Quinten Nears on July 30, and will be extradited to Solano County, King said.

Ocean Shores police contacted Espitia about an unrelated issue before they discovered Vacaville police had a warrant for his arrest, King said.

Vacaville police detectives traveled to Ocean Shores on Tuesday and interviewed several people, King said.

Detectives served a search warrant with the Ocean Shores Police Department today at Espitia's apartment, King said.

A search warrant also was served at Espitia's family's home in Vacaville, King said.

Vacaville police found Nears, 20, suffering from several gunshot wounds in a parking lot at an apartment complex in the 1500 block of Alamo Drive around 9:20 p.m. on July 30, King said. Nears died at the scene.

A white or Hispanic suspect in his early 20s fled the scene. Vacaville police, the Solano County Sheriff's Office and Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office did not locate the suspect after an extensive search, King said.

Police believe the murder is gang related and Espitia is a known criminal street gang member with a long criminal history, King said.

The murder was the second in Vacaville this year and the two slayings are not believed to be related, King said.

- Bay City News Service