Deputies search for Fresno home invasion suspect after mom, child hide in bathroom
Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for an armed home invasion suspect who broke into a home in southeast Fresno on Thursday morning and ransacked it as a mother and a child huddled in a bathroom.
The suspects fled in a car when the woman’s husband came back to the house, near South Fowler and East Jensen avenues.
Deputies took two woman into custody and are searching for a male suspect.
He is described as a 6-foot tall, 165-pound black man with a clean-shaven face and shoulder-length hair in dreadlocks. He was wearing a blue shirt and light blue jeans.
One of the women detained was released. The other, Keoni Wyrick, 22, was booked into Fresno County Jail on suspicion of burglary.
The unknown suspect struck an object with his car near Peach and Jensen avenues, then disappeared into a neighborhood north of the area, said Tony Botti, sheriff’s office spokesman.
The vehicle was found abandoned on East Florence Avenue, between South Rachel Avenue and South Orangewood Drive, Botti said.
“Deputies then contacted a woman matching the suspect description near Peach and Florence Ave.,” Botti said. “She was detained, along with another woman in a car who was possibly going to give the suspect a ride out of the area.”
The crime occurred around 9:45 a.m. The victim’s husband arrived at his home while the unknown male suspect was inside. The husband found a gray Buick parked in his driveway with a woman standing near the car, Botti said.
“The male suspect came out and pointed a handgun at the male homeowner,” Botti said. “The two suspects got into the car and drove away.”
The homeowner followed the suspects, and flagged down a responding police officer as the suspects got away.
The woman and child hiding in the house did not have contact with the suspects, Botti said.
Anyone living in the area where the crime occurred who has surveillance video recorded around 10 a.m. Thursday is asked to contact the sheriff’s office so detectives can possibly review it. Detectives can be reached at 559-600-3111. The case number is 19-14663.
Law enforcement was searching neighborhoods surrounded by Butler, Minnewawa, Church and Peach avenues.
Detectives recovered some of the items stolen from the victim’s home in the suspect’s crashed car but did not find a gun.
This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 12:04 PM.
