California gunman repeatedly released before deadly rampage, fiery shootout with deputies
A California murder suspect was arrested three times in less than two weeks and walked out of jail after each bust before authorities said his crime spree ended with an innocent woman dead and a fiery shootout with deputies.
Prosecutors said they tried to keep Derek Spencer, 44, behind bars after he allegedly assaulted a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy. Instead, he posted bail, was arrested twice more and was released both times before allegedly killing 76-year-old Cheryl Macy, a beloved former Placer County District Attorney’s Office employee.
"Sadly, this should never have occurred but bail reform in California has prioritized criminal offenders over victims," the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Spencer was ultimately killed early Monday after allegedly opening fire on Placer County sheriff’s deputies during a tense standoff in the rugged forest near Iowa Hill.
Authorities said he also set two fires as tactical teams closed in, forcing an overnight helicopter rescue of three SWAT operators threatened by the flames.
The deadly chain of events followed a string of arrests and releases that prosecutors said exposed dangerous gaps in California’s bail system.
The first arrest came Sept. 3, when Sacramento County deputies accused Spencer of felony vandalism, resisting arrest and assaulting a deputy with a deadly weapon.
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The Sacramento County DA’s office filed charges Sept. 8, including felony assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily injury and attempting, through threats and violence, to prevent the deputy from carrying out official duties.
Prosecutors asked that Spencer remain in custody, but a judge set bail as required by law, the DA’s office said. Spencer posted it and was released Sept. 11.
Then the arrests kept coming.
At about 11 p.m. Sept. 13, Folsom police responded to an alarm at a model home in the 4600 block of Dehone Circle. Officers encountered Spencer walking out of the property and arrested him on suspicion of burglary, the department told Fox News Digital.
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He was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail and released on his own recognizance the following day, prosecutors said.
Two days later, Sacramento County deputies arrested Spencer again, this time on suspicion of stealing a vehicle. He posted bail and was back out of custody Sept. 17.
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By then, Spencer was also due in court for a preliminary hearing in the deputy-assault case. He failed to appear Sept. 18, prompting a judge to issue a warrant, according to the DA’s office.
Prosecutors were still reviewing the burglary and vehicle-theft reports for possible charges when Spencer’s alleged rampage moved into neighboring counties.
Authorities said Spencer stole another vehicle and guns and fired at a moving vehicle in El Dorado County on Sept. 19. The next day, Placer County deputies began hunting for him after he allegedly pointed a gun at victims.
Deputies spotted Spencer in the Iowa Hill area, but he allegedly rammed a sheriff’s patrol vehicle and escaped. Authorities said he later fired at deputies and law enforcement helicopters, triggering an intensive manhunt and warnings for residents to lock their doors and stay inside.
As tactical teams cleared a home where Spencer had been seen, they found Macy shot to death inside. Investigators believe Spencer killed her before fleeing into the surrounding forest. Authorities have not publicly identified any prior connection between the two.
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A California Highway Patrol aircraft using infrared technology located Spencer shortly before 2:30 a.m. Monday, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Several tactical teams spent hours moving through the steep, heavily wooded terrain in darkness to reach him.
When deputies approached, Spencer opened fire, authorities said. A standoff followed, and drone video allegedly captured him starting two separate fires.
At about 4 a.m., Spencer fired again from behind a berm, prompting deputies to return fire and fatally strike him, the sheriff’s office said.
The flames soon threatened SWAT operators in the forest. A tactical flight crew from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN aviation unit flew through darkness and low-visibility conditions to hoist three operators out of the area.
The unit said the mission relied on a specialized night-hoist capability available to only a limited number of law enforcement aviation teams in the region.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office called the case a "dangerous crime spree that took a tragic turn, resulting in the loss of an innocent life."
The Sacramento County DA’s office pointed to the California Supreme Court’s recent Kowalczyk decision, arguing that it has limited judges’ ability to detain repeat offenders before trial, even when they may pose a danger.
"While the District Attorney’s Office has and will continue to argue that dangerous and repeat offenders like Derek Spencer remain in custody, California must repeal the Kowalczyk decision and change the law to prioritize victims when addressing bail," the office said.
The Placer County DA’s office separately said Spencer’s repeated releases raised "serious questions" about whether state law and recent court decisions give judges enough power to prevent similar tragedies.
"As prosecutors, our responsibility is not only to seek justice after someone is harmed, but to speak plainly when the system presents warning signs that cannot be ignored," the office said.
Macy served the Placer County DA’s office from 2006 to 2020 and remained a cherished part of its extended family. She was also a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire honored Macy at a county Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday, telling community leaders that her death had left his office and the wider community heartbroken.
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Gire called for answers, transparency and accountability while urging the community to remember how Macy lived rather than how she died. His office said former colleagues remembered the energy she brought to her work, the warmth she showed others and the lasting impact she made across Placer County.
"The loss of Cheryl is devastating to our office and to the entire community," the office said. "Our hearts are with her family, her friends, and everyone who knew and loved her."
Her granddaughter, Addison, told KCRA that Macy had a special way of hugging her loved ones: three squeezes to say, "I love you."
"She was the only person who’s ever done that and told me that," Addison said, calling it a memory she will always carry.
The fatal deputy-involved shooting and Macy’s death remain under investigation.