GALT, Calif. — A man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of killing his mother in Sacramento County near Galt.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said 29-year-old John Martinez was taken into custody and booked on a murder charge. His mother's name hasn't been released, but the sheriff's office said she is 64 years old.
Sgt. Amar Gandhi, spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said Martinez hit his mother with a shovel and ran her over with a vehicle. Gandhi said he then tried to set his mother on fire but wasn't successful.
Gandhi originally said the woman was possibly killed by blunt force trauma.
Deputies originally responded along the 11500 block of Alta Mesa Road around 2:40 p.m. Wednesday. Gandhi said a worker saw a woman, who appeared to be lying down, from a distance on the property and called for help. The fire department arrived and called the sheriff's office.
Deputies said the woman's son was inside the home and refused to come out for several hours until he was eventually detained around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday. The investigation into the homicide is ongoing.
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