Update: Suspect arrested after fatal shooting in Tuolumne County
A man sought in connection with a fatal shooting near Sonora was arrested Monday afternoon after community members reported seeing him in the Columbia area, according to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office.
Timothy Allen Boling, 55, was booked into the Dambacher Detention Center on suspicion of murder in the death of Eric Brandon Udall, 60, authorities said.
The Sheriff’s Office said deputies received a report of a shooting at about 7:15 p.m. Sunday at a residence in the 17900 block of Lime Kiln Road.
Patrol deputies responded with emergency lights and sirens and immediately began providing lifesaving medical aid to Udall before emergency medical personnel arrived. Udall was taken to Adventist Health Sonora, where he was later pronounced dead.
Sheriff’s detectives took over the investigation and, through witness interviews and evidence collected at the scene, identified Boling as the suspect. Authorities said he fled immediately after the shooting.
Investigators believe the incident began as a physical altercation that escalated into a shooting, according to Monday’s update.
The Sheriff’s Office had earlier released Boling’s identity and asked for the public’s help locating him. Shortly afterward, several community members reported seeing him in the downtown Columbia area and within Columbia State Historic Park.
As deputies responded, they learned that a California State Parks law enforcement officer had located Boling and was holding him at gunpoint. Sheriff’s deputies arrived moments later and took Boling into custody without incident.
Boling was booked Monday afternoon on one count of murder.
The Sheriff’s Office also said Boling is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition and was under post-release community supervision at the time of the shooting.
Authorities thanked community members who reported sightings of Boling, saying those tips played an important role in locating the suspect, and also credited the State Parks officer whose actions helped bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
The investigation remains active, and investigators said no additional information will be released at this time.
This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 11:57 AM with the headline "Update: Suspect arrested after fatal shooting in Tuolumne County."
