Former California sheriff’s deputy Marvin Morales is suspected of murdering his 11-year-old son on Tuesday morning, December 2, 2025. He was fatally shot after leading police on a freeway pursuit. According to officials, the 11-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in his Elk Grove City home, 15 miles south of Sacramento, as his mother watched through the home’s security cameras.
The little boy’s mother called 911 shortly after 8 a.m., and her son was transported to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The couple’s 6-year-old daughter was also in the home at the time of the stabbing but was reported safe and unharmed. The motive behind Morales’s son’s murder is unknown and not released.
Internal Investigation of Deputy Morales
Former Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy Marvin Morales is accused of his son’s untimely death. According to a sheriff’s spokesperson, Morales was terminated over a year ago after an internal investigation uncovered that he was lying about using drugs that were seized from suspects in 2023. Months after the incident, he submitted a letter of resignation on February 2, 2024, to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and was terminated five days later on February 7.
An internal investigation was conducted about his resignation and termination, concluding that he seized drugs from a suspect and smoked some of the narcotics in the sheriff’s station bathroom. On October 24, 2023, Morales was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor with a pipe next to him. What he thought was methamphetamine turned out to be fentanyl, so he overdosed. He was revived with Narcan and hospitalized.
Through the investigation, they were able to conclude Morales had confiscated the drugs wrapped in tinfoil earlier that day, and more was found in his uniform pants pockets. They tested his hair follicles and found they indicated illicit drug use, and he admitted to using later on.
High-Speed Freeway Chase
Sheriff’s spokesperson Amar Gandhi reported that Sheriff Jim Cooper was on his way to work around 9 a.m. when he spotted a suspect vehicle and sent the location to other law enforcement officers. A short chase ensued on Interstate 5, vehicles reaching speeds of 100 mph before the suspect vehicle crashed in San Joaquin County near the freeway’s junction with State Route 12.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Amar Gandhi reported that Sheriff Jim Cooper was on his way to work around 9 a.m. when he spotted a suspect vehicle and sent the location to other law enforcement officers. A short chase ensued on Interstate 5, vehicles reaching speeds of 100 mph before the suspect vehicle crashed in San Joaquin County near the freeway’s junction with State Route 12.
What is Next
More information on the death of Morales’s son has not been released. The mother has not made comments to the media, and it is unclear if any have reached out to her for such. Since the stabbing was caught on video surveillance of Morales committing such a heinous act, and he is no longer alive, not much is expected to unfold. The motive is also unclear, but he was likely under the influence at the time.
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