ELK GROVE, Calif. — A former Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy suspected of fatally stabbing his 11-year-old son was shot and killed by law enforcement after a pursuit, KCRA reports.
Elk Grove police said a mother called 911 just after 8 a.m. on Dec. 2, fearing for the safety of her two children who were at home with their father, 40-year-old Marvin Morales. Home surveillance cameras captured Morales assaulting his 11-year-old son, prompting officers to respond to the house on the 7600 block of Ferrell Way.
When officers arrived, they found the boy suffering from stab wounds. A 6-year-old girl inside the home was unharmed. The boy was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Morales had left the residence before officers arrived. At a news conference, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said Sheriff Jim Cooper was among the first to spot Morales’ vehicle on southbound I-5 near Pocket Road. The California Highway Patrol deployed spike strips, causing Morales to crash near I-5 and Highway 12, about five miles west of Lodi.
Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) near I-5/Highway 12 involving our personnel. All law enforcement officers involved are OK, the suspect was shot and has been transported to the hospital. More information to follow. pic.twitter.com/vh9xBzHmDS
— Sacramento Sheriff (@sacsheriff) December 2, 2025
Authorities said multiple law enforcement officers opened fire after the crash. At least two Sacramento County deputies and one Elk Grove police officer discharged their weapons. No law enforcement personnel were hurt.
Morales was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officials have not said whether he fired at officers, and investigators have not released details about what was found in his vehicle. Elk Grove police noted that a gun safe inside the home was empty.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Morales resigned from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office in 2024 following an internal investigation into a 2023 on-duty overdose at a sheriff’s station. According to the department’s report, he was found unresponsive in a station bathroom and later admitted to intentionally ingesting fentanyl he had seized earlier in the shift. The investigation also concluded he had previously used confiscated drugs and falsified related reports. Morales survived the overdose and voluntarily surrendered his peace officer certification.
