The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is searching for Derek Spencer, a 44-year-old man described as armed and dangerous, following a series of violent encounters in the Iowa Hill area south of Colfax. Authorities believe Spencer shot and killed a woman inside a home before fleeing into the surrounding forest.
Violent Encounters and Search Efforts
The search for Spencer intensified after he was wanted on Sunday for several felonies, including pointing a firearm at victims in Placer County earlier that day. According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, deputies located Spencer around 10:30 a.m., at which point he rammed into a patrol vehicle and fled. During the subsequent pursuit, Spencer fired shots at law enforcement officers and law enforcement helicopters.
While tactical teams were clearing a residence where Spencer had previously been located, deputies discovered the body of an adult female who had been shot and killed. Her name has not been released. Investigators believe Spencer murdered the woman before evading capture. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident, officials said.
The search is being conducted across a large area characterized by steep, rugged terrain and dense forest. A significant number of resources are assisting Placer County, including:
- Tactical teams from the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office
- Roseville and Rocklin Police Departments
- Grass Valley Police Department
- California Highway Patrol and California State Parks
Public Safety Warnings and Forest Fire
Residents in the Iowa Hill Road area have been urged to remain inside and lock their doors. Additionally, the county’s emergency communication system, PlacerAlert, issued an evacuation warning for a fire in the vicinity.
The Foresthill Fire Protection District reported that a fire, described by Cal Fire as approximately two acres within timber understory, broke out near Iowa Hill. Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service units staged at the Mineral Bar Campground, but officials stated that fire suppression efforts were held off because the blaze was too close to the active shooter incident. Aircraft have been monitoring the fire from high elevations.
Suspect Background and History
Authorities described Derek Spencer as a bald man with a goatee wearing a black T-shirt. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office also noted he was involved in a possible carjacking in El Dorado County on Saturday.
Court records and statements from Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Bob Igoe indicate a pattern of recent arrests for Spencer. He was released from Sacramento County Jail on Thursday, Sept. 17, after being arrested three times in a single month:
- Sept. 3: Arrested by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office for resisting arrest, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, and felony vandalism.
- Sept. 14: Arrested by the Folsom Police Department for burglary.
- Sept. 16: Arrested by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office for stealing a vehicle.
Spencer was released on bond following the arrests on Sept. 3 and Sept. 16.
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