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News Release

California Cold Case Murder Suspect Arrested In Gold Hill (Photo) -09/22/23

JCSO Case 23-3999


 

GOLD HILL, Ore. - Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives assisted California investigators in arresting a man Monday for a cold case homicide that occurred in Vallejo, California in 1987. The suspect, Fred Cain III, 69, was arrested at 4:45 p.m. Monday at his residence in the 9500 block of Old Stage Road in Gold Hill. Cain was arrested in connection to a 1987 cold case involving the murder of a 6-year-old child who had been abducted near his home in the city of Vallejo. Cain waived extradition in Oregon and will be transferred to Solano County to face charges of murder, kidnap, and sodomy.


 

Recently, Solano County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case investigators were reviewing a 1987 case involving a 6-year-old child who had been abducted near his home in the city of Vallejo. Four days after the child went missing, his body was discovered on Sherman Island in Sacramento County.  An autopsy revealed that the child victim had been sexually assaulted.


 

That year, Shawn Melton was named as a suspect in the case, as he appeared to have knowledge only the person responsible for the child’s death would know. He was subsequently charged with murder and kidnapping.  The case was later dismissed after a jury could not reach a verdict.  The advances in DNA technology have since exonerated Mr. Melton and has implicated another person responsible for the young child’s death. 


 

Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams reinstated the Cold Case Unit in the office after being first elected in 2014.  One of the many priorities was to solve homicide cases that had gone cold over the years to hold offenders accountable, seek long awaited justice, and bring closure for all the victims' families that had been greatly impacted.


 

“I am so thankful to have such dedicated cold case investigators that no matter how much time goes by they remain steadfast in their commitment to solving these horrific cases,” said District Attorney Krishna Abrams.  

No other details will be revealed at this time to preserve the integrity of the pending case.

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