The Inland Empire Crime Blog

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Homicide detectives have arrested two suspects for the October 25, 2008, murder of 28-year-old Ricky Bufford. On October 29, 2008, detectives arrested 21-year-old Sacramento resident Brandon Chatman after he voluntarily met them at the Homicide Bureau for questioning. On October 30, 2008, Homicide detectives arrested 20-year-old Sacramento resident Shawn Jones at the Sacramento County Main Jail where he had been in custody since October 28th on unrelated charges.

On October 25, 2008, at 9:56 p.m. Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from an employee at a gas station/convenience store at the corner of Watt Avenue and Auburn Boulevard reporting a car had pulled into the parking lot of the business and a passenger in the car had been shot. Witnesses were administering first-aid to the victim when deputies arrived. Soon thereafter, paramedics arrived and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Homicide detectives arrived to investigate the shooting. They learned Ricky Bufford was a passenger in a car that had gone to the upper-deck of the light-rail station at Watt Avenue and Interstate 80. The victim was in the car with the driver, a 24-year-old female, and two other passengers; a teenage female, and a 5-year-old boy. They were parked in the loading zone on Watt Avenue, when their vehicle was approached by the suspects. There was a verbal exchange between the victim and the suspects just before one of the suspects pulled a handgun from his waistband and fired one shot which struck the victim in the upper body. The driver then drove to the business at Watt Avenue and Auburn Boulevard.

Detectives believe the shooting was sparked by the verbal exchange between the victim and suspects. However, they do not believe the shooting was gang related. The investigation is on going and detectives anticipate additional arrests in connection to the case. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Sheriff’s Homicide detectives at (916) 874-5115, or Crime Alert at (916) 443-Help. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.00

Jones is scheduled to be arraigned on October 30, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. in Department 61. Chatman is scheduled to be arraigned on October 31, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. in Department 62.
Sergeant Tim Curran,
Sheriff’s Spokesman