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Posted on 09/29/2023 4:50:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Fred Cain III, 69, appeared in Solano County courtroom on Thursday after being brought from Oregon to face numerous felony charges in connection with the 1987 kidnapping and murder of 6-year-old Jeremy Stoner.
Stoner disappeared from his Vallejo neighborhood on Feb. 21, 1987, officials said. His body was found four days later on Sherman Island in Sacramento County. Investigators said he had been sexually assaulted.
"This death of Jeremy Stoner rocked this entire community," Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams said.
The Solano County District Attorney's cold case unit opened the case in Oct. 2022 and tested DNA from Stoner's autopsy. They said the DNA exonerated Shawn Melton, the man originally charged and tried twice for the boy's murder.
"Over time, people's memories fade, but DNA keeps getting better and better," Abrams said. "It's so important that it solves crimes and it also exonerates the innocent and in this case, it did exonerate Shawn Melton."
The DNA also led investigators to another person.
Kevin Coelho, the cold case unit's lead investigator, said they searched through thousands of documents and reports for months and found someone who may have been linked: Cain, who became a person of interest investigators wanted to get a DNA sample from.
Recommended Paul Flores makes first court appearance since prison attack, hospitalization Peter Foor, Melton's public defender, said once Melton walked into the police department the same day detectives interviewed Cain, they stopped looking for a suspect.
"Early in the day, they contacted Cain and were going to go back and talk to him again because they questioned some things he had said," Foor said. "But that never happened and when Shawn walked in there, the case got shut down."
Foor called Melton "odd and not well-educated." He said Melton wanted to be a police detective and thought he was helping the case when only he was hurting himself.
"He realized he got in completely over his head with the idea he could assist the police," Foor said.
Both of Melton's trials in Sacramento County ended in hung juries and eventually, charges dropped. Melton didn't live long enough to be exonerated. He died in the year 2000. Foor said he proclaimed his innocence until the day he died.
Cain is charged with murder, kidnapping, sodomy and lewd and lascivious act on a child.
While appearing in court Thursday in a wheelchair, Cain was appointed a public defender and the judge in the case set no bail. The arraignment was continued to Oct. 12.
Abrams admits there will be challenges prosecuting Cain for Stoner's murder. But she said her office never gave up on finding the truth and justice for the Stoner family.
"My job always is to seek and find justice, to always do what’s right and that’s to never give up on victims, always make sure they have a voice, always make sure we try to get justice for victims and always hold those accountable for the crimes they commit in Solano County," Abrams said.
Coelho stays in touch with the Stoner family and said he will be there for them during this next trial.
"They've been through hell for 36 years, absolute hell," Coelho said. "They're very thankful and appreciative, but how do you put it into words losing a child, especially in this way."
Better to be safe than sorry... Acceptable collateral damage.
Had a good friend that invented the technique that allows for DNA testing with a tiny amount of DNA available. He said the money and awards he received were nice but was nothing compared to the notes he got from prisoners that were freed due to that process.
“Better to be safe than sorry... Acceptable collateral damage.”
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Well, yeah, OK. That’s just great, unless you’re the one that is wrongfully convicted and imprisoned or sentenced to death.
So much for your handle “Openurmind”. Some serious irony and duplicity in that.
I was being sarcastic. I have been wrongfully accused and convicted myself.
I didn’t catch your sarcasm,either. Sorry for your experience. It happens too often.
“It happens too often.”
Sure does. But it is socially acceptable. Suspicion = Guilty, Arrested = Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
DNA is such a game changer for the justice system.
Ok the justice system can get it wrong, even on capital punishment cases. I would give law enforcement a pass if the public is ‘better off’ with this individual behind bars. I’m talking people with a rap sheet. Just pay him off minus whatever damage he caused before getting in the big trouble.
If you would like more information about what’s happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me. Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.
God gave the man many years to repent and accept Christ. I doubt that he did.
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