[h=1]Suspects arrested in wake of shooting death near Palermo[/h]OROVILLE Two Sonoma County men were arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of a man who was shot last month near Palermo during an alleged botched marijuana robbery, according to authorities. Salvador Mendoza, 38, of Santa Rosa, and 19-year-old Yonatan Tesfazghi of Sebastopol were arrested and face charges related to the slaying, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office. The men were reportedly identified as accomplices of the decedent, 24-year-old Hector Gabriel of Santa Rosa.
On Nov. 26, the Butte County Sheriff's Office responded to a home invasion robbery and shots fired just before 2 p.m. at a residence in the 6900 block of Upper Palermo Road.
Sgt. Matt Keeling told a reporter at the scene that when he arrived, he "found an individual in the kitchen on the floor and unresponsive."
The man, who was later identified as Gabriel, was flown to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:16 p.m.
About two hours after deputies responded to the home, detectives determined Gabriel and other suspects were reportedly involved in an armed home invasion robbery revolving around marijuana.
There was "absolutely" marijuana at the residence and the Butte County Sheriff's Office has information that the people involved were there to steal it, Undersheriff Kory Honea told the Enterprise-Record on Wednesday.
Once the Sheriff's Office learned Gabriel was from Santa Rosa, local detectives sought assistance from the Santa Rosa and Sebastopol police departments. Through a joint effort, the agencies served two search warrants and arrested Tesfazghi and Mendoza, according to a press release from the Butte County Sheriff's Office.
Gabriel, Tesfazghi and Mendoza are thought to have been friends, but the Sheriff's Office is trying to determine why the men came to Butte County, Honea said. The Sheriff's Office hasn't had any contact with them and Honea was not aware if the men had criminal history.
The day of the alleged attempted robbery, a newer model silver Mercedes Benz sport utility vehicle being driven by a white female was seen leaving the area.
The SUV and the white woman driving it have been found, but further details on her involvement were not disclosed. However, detectives are still working to locate two Hispanic males from the Santa Rosa area who are considered suspects.
Mendoza and Tesfazghi will be transported from Sonoma County to the Butte County Jail in Oroville. The men's bail is set at $1 million.
The men "in this case have been charged with murder based on the illegal and dangerous act committed by them was such that it resulted in the death of their co-conspirator," according to the Sheriff's Office.
Although Tesfazghi and Mendoza did not pull the trigger, under the provocative act doctrine, people involved in a criminal activity that has a high probability of resulting in someone using deadly force and results in the death of their associate, can be charged with murder, Honea explained.
A review of the case has been submitted to the Butte County District Attorney's Office to determine if the homeowner, who the Sheriff's Office has not identified, will face any charges.
. What are you gonna do, let a bunch of random ass people ransack your house and steal your belongings? I can't believe they would even consider charging them. If these dumb fucks don't have the respect to go out and earn things on their own, and decide to take it from others... People like that don't belong here