U.S. Marshals Arrest Woman Wanted In Sonoma County Home Invasions

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A 20-year-old Richmond, Virginia woman wanted in connection with two Sonoma County home-invasion robberies and a related murder was arrested Monday, a Sonoma County sheriff's official said. U.S. Marshals found Amber Hembree — also known as Skittles — hiding in an attic not far from Richmond in Chester, Virginia and took her into custody on a no-bail warrant out of Sonoma County, sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said in a news release.

Authorities say Hembree faces charges of one count of murder, four counts of robbery and one count of kidnapping in two alleged marijuana-related home-invasion robberies Feb. 8 in unincorporated south Santa Rosa — one in the 1900 block of Fulton Road and the other in 3600 block of Melcon Lane.

"In both of these cases victims were tied up and a man at each home were shot," Crum said. "In the robbery on Melcon Lane, the victim, 54-year-old Jose Luis Torres died as a result of his gunshot wounds. The victim from Fulton Road has survived his injury."

Four male defendants in the crimes — Tyrone Lamar Mcrae, 25, of Jackson, Mississippi, Jonathan Christopher Jackson, 19, of Richmond Hill, New York, Mussie Kibrom Himed, 27, of Santa Rosa and David Ealey, 23, of Richmond, Virginia — were taken into custody Feb. 8 in Vallejo, where, after a police pursuit around Mare Island, they crashed their car.

"... Hembree managed to escape after fleeing from the car crash," Crum said. "Detectives have continued to work leads in the case which led them to a home in Chester, Virginia. Detectives alerted the U.S. Marshals Service as to her probable location."

Monday morning, the federal agents went to a home in the 12000 block of Chestertowne Road in Chester and that is when they found her hiding in an attic, the sergeant said.

"She was armed with a stolen, loaded handgun but was taken into custody without incident and was booked into a jail in Chesterfield County, a suburb of Richmond, Virginia," Crum said.

Sonoma County sheriff's detectives "immediately" flew to Virginia to interview Hembree, the sergeant said.

Hembree was scheduled for a court appearance Wednesday in Virginia and is expected to be extradited back to Sonoma County.

Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Marshals Service.

"Inter-agency cooperation of this serious case was so valuable," Giordano said. "Along with the perseverance of our detective team, we hope to give the families some resolution. Our sincere thanks goes out to the U.S. Marshals for their dedication and commitment."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• 1 Killed, 1 Injured in Pot-Related, Home Invasions: Sheriff
• 4 In Custody, 1 On The Lam In Deadly Home Invasions
• Sonoma County Home Invasions: 5 Charged With Murder

Photos via Sonoma County Sheriff's Office