A California murder suspect was arrested three times in fewer than two weeks and released after each encounter before authorities said his alleged crime spree ended with the killing of an innocent woman and a fiery shootout with deputies.
Prosecutors said they sought to keep 44-year-old Derek Spencer in custody after he allegedly assaulted a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy. Instead, he posted bail, was arrested twice more and released both times before allegedly killing Cheryl Macy, 76, a beloved former employee of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.
“Sadly, this should never have occurred, but bail reform in California has prioritized criminal offenders over victims,” the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement to News Outlet.
Spencer was killed early Monday after authorities said he opened fire on Placer County sheriff’s deputies during a tense standoff in the rugged, wooded area near Iowa Hill.
Derek Spencer, 44, was wanted in connection with several felonies, including allegedly pointing a firearm at people in Placer County. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities said Spencer also started two fires as tactical teams moved in, forcing an overnight helicopter rescue for three SWAT operators endangered by the flames.
The deadly confrontation followed a series of arrests and releases that prosecutors said highlighted serious weaknesses in California’s bail system.
Spencer’s first arrest came Sept. 3, when Sacramento County deputies accused him of felony vandalism, resisting arrest and assaulting a deputy with a deadly weapon.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office filed charges Sept. 8, including felony assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily injury and using threats and violence in an attempt to stop the deputy from performing official duties.
Prosecutors asked that Spencer remain jailed, but a judge set bail as required by law, according to the DA’s office. Spencer posted bail and was released Sept. 11.
The arrests continued.
Around 11 p.m. Sept. 13, Folsom police responded to an alarm at a model home in the 4600 block of Dehone Circle. Officers encountered Spencer leaving the property and arrested him on suspicion of burglary, the department told News Outlet.
Placer County sheriff’s deputies searched the steep, densely wooded terrain near Iowa Hill for murder suspect Derek Spencer. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
He was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail but released on his own recognizance the next day, prosecutors said.
Two days later, Sacramento County deputies arrested Spencer again, this time on suspicion of stealing a vehicle. He posted bail and was released from custody Sept. 17.
Spencer was also scheduled for a preliminary hearing in the deputy-assault case. When he failed to appear Sept. 18, a judge issued a warrant, according to the DA’s office.
Prosecutors were still reviewing the burglary and vehicle-theft reports for possible charges when Spencer’s alleged rampage spread into neighboring counties.
Authorities said Spencer stole another vehicle and guns and fired at a moving vehicle in El Dorado County on Sept. 19. The following day, Placer County deputies began searching for him after he allegedly pointed a gun at victims.
Deputies located Spencer in the Iowa Hill area, but authorities said he rammed a sheriff’s patrol vehicle and escaped. He later allegedly fired at deputies and law enforcement helicopters, prompting an extensive manhunt and warnings for residents to lock their doors and remain inside.
While tactical teams were clearing a home where Spencer had been seen, they found Macy fatally shot inside. Investigators believe Spencer killed her before fleeing into the surrounding forest. Authorities have not publicly disclosed any previous connection between Spencer and Macy.
Multiple law enforcement agencies joined the search for armed murder suspect Derek Spencer in the rugged Iowa Hill area. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
A California Highway Patrol aircraft using infrared technology located Spencer shortly before 2:30 a.m. Monday, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Several tactical teams spent hours moving through the steep, heavily wooded terrain in darkness to reach him.
When deputies approached, Spencer opened fire, authorities said. A standoff followed, and drone video allegedly captured him starting two separate fires.
At about 4 a.m., Spencer fired again from behind a berm, prompting deputies to return fire and fatally strike him, the sheriff’s office said.
The flames soon threatened SWAT operators in the forest. A tactical flight crew from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office RAVEN aviation unit flew through darkness and low-visibility conditions to hoist three operators out of the area.
The unit said the mission relied on a specialized night-hoist capability available to only a limited number of law enforcement aviation teams in the region.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office called the case a “dangerous crime spree that took a tragic turn, resulting in the loss of an innocent life.”
The Sacramento County DA’s office pointed to the California Supreme Court’s recent Kowalczyk decision, arguing that it has limited judges’ ability to detain repeat offenders before trial, even when they may pose a danger.
“While the District Attorney’s Office has and will continue to argue that dangerous and repeat offenders like Derek Spencer remain in custody, California must repeal the Kowalczyk decision and change the law to prioritize victims when addressing bail,” the office said.
The Placer County DA’s office separately said Spencer’s repeated releases raised “serious questions” about whether state law and recent court decisions give judges enough power to prevent similar tragedies.
“As prosecutors, our responsibility is not only to seek justice after someone is harmed, but to speak plainly when the system presents warning signs that cannot be ignored,” the office said.
Macy served the Placer County DA’s office from 2006 to 2020 and remained a cherished part of its extended family. She was also a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire honored Macy at a county Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday, telling community leaders that her death had left his office and the wider community heartbroken.
Cheryl Macy worked for the Placer County District Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2020. (Placer County District Attorney’s Office)
Gire called for answers, transparency and accountability while urging the community to remember how Macy lived rather than how she died. His office said former colleagues remembered the energy she brought to her work, the warmth she showed others and the lasting impact she made across Placer County.
“The loss of Cheryl is devastating to our office and to the entire community,” the office said. “Our hearts are with her family, her friends, and everyone who knew and loved her.”
Her granddaughter, Addison, told KCRA that Macy had a special way of hugging her loved ones: three squeezes to say, “I love you.”
“She was the only person who’s ever done that and told me that,” Addison said, calling it a memory she will always carry.
The fatal deputy-involved shooting and Macy’s death remain under investigation.
