Gun Stolen From Officer Linked to Killings

A handgun allegedly used in the slayings of four people was stolen in June from the car of an off-duty sheriff’s deputy at a park near the suspect’s home, authorities said Friday.

“It was the same weapon that was reported missing. We haven’t received the ballistics report back saying it was used in the killings, but we’re very confident we have the same weapon,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s spokesman Mike Padilla said.

Suspect Louis James Peoples, 35, was arrested Wednesday in front of his home. He was carrying a backpack that had a badge and identification card belonging to the Alameda County sheriff’s deputy whose gun was reported stolen.

Authorities said Peoples led police to a muddy field where investigators unearthed the .40-caliber Glock handgun Thursday.

Padilla said it appeared that the slayings, which occurred over a two-week period, were carefully planned. A map was recovered from Peoples’ home pinpointing the victims as well as future targets.

“The recovery of the map shows he was far from completing his crime spree,” Padilla said.

Peoples was recently suspended from his job as a tow truck driver after testing positive for illegal drugs, said Sandi Dove, co-owner of Charter Way Tow.

He is accused of killing four people, including a co-worker, James Loper, 29. Loper was called to a rural area in the middle of the night Oct. 29 and shot to death, deputies said.

On Nov. 4, Stephen Chacko, 39, was killed during a robbery of his store. A week later, grocer Besun Yu, 56, and a friend from China, Jun Gao, 46, were shot to death during a robbery at a market.

“Apparently he just walked in the door and started shooting. When someone operates like this, it is virtually impossible to defend yourself,” Padilla said.

The motive for the killings was not released.

Peoples is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on charges of murder, attempted murder and multiple counts of burglary, robbery and vandalism.

Investigators focused on Peoples after officers learned that his car matched descriptions of a vehicle seen at some of the crimes, police spokesman Ken Praegitzer said.