Early Tuesday morning in Elk Grove, California, a mother’s frantic 911 call set off a chain of events that ended in tragedy: 40-year-old former deputy Marvin Morales allegedly fatally stabbed his 11-year-old son — then fled. Hours later, after a speeding chase down Interstate 5 and a crash, Morales was shot and killed by law enforcement.
Around 8 a.m., the boy’s mother phoned police after viewing disturbing footage on her home security cameras in the 7600 block of Ferrell Way. She told dispatchers she feared for the safety of her two children, who were alone at home with their father.
When officers arrived, they found the boy gravely injured. He was rushed to a hospital but died from his wounds. A 6-year-old girl — the boy’s sibling — was also in the home; she was unharmed. By that time, Morales had already vanished.
Law enforcement traced Morales’ vehicle to southbound I-5 near Pocket Road. A high-speed pursuit ensued: deputies and officers followed the SUV, which eventually smashed through spike strips deployed near Highway 12 in San Joaquin County, then careened off the road and ended up in a ditch.
After the crash, officers from multiple agencies opened fire. Morales was struck — taken to a hospital, where he later died. No officers were injured in the incident. Officials have not yet released whether Morales was armed or whether he fired at officers.
The former deputy had a troubled history. In 2023, while on duty, he suffered an overdose from fentanyl he illegally ingested — fentanyl seized from a suspect. Though first described as a suspected chemical exposure, a 468-page internal affairs investigation later concluded it was intentional drug use. He was revived with Narcan by fellow deputies.
He submitted a resignation letter in February 2024 and was formally fired days later. State records show he disqualified himself from serving as a peace officer.
Neighbors in the quiet Ferrell Way neighborhood described the morning as surreal — sirens, panic, and heartbreak. Some recalled hearing a child’s screams, others gathered in group chats, struggling to cope with the reality that the suspect was once a law enforcement colleague.
At this moment, the investigation is ongoing. The shooting is being reviewed by state authorities; police have not disclosed many details, including whether Morales posed a threat at the time of the shooting. The community, in mourning, is left to grapple with the shock: a former deputy, once entrusted to protect, now accused of ending his own son’s life — and dying by police fire moments later.
