Alleged gang member in custody for robbery, carjacking, now accused of murdering woman he was dating

A California woman was shot dead and a man she was seeing who was already in custody for unrelated crimes is now a suspect in her murder.

On Aug. 16, alleged gang member David Hernandez, 42, is accused of committing a robbery and carjacking at the Cali Smoke Shop in a Fresno shopping center.

“Information from a citizen ... led detectives to the apartment complex … where the [carjack] victim’s vehicle was located,” Fresno police Lt. Bill Dooley reportedly said.

Hernandez then got into a nearly six-hour standoff with the Fresno police SWAT team that evening at the apartment complex, where 41-year-old Sarah Hamm lived. Hernandez surrendered to authorities and Hamm was later discovered fatally shot in her unit, police said, according to KFSN-TV.

Law enforcement officials said Hernandez and the victim were in a “dating relationship” at the time of her death and claimed he was linked to her homicide through evidence recovered at the crime scene and in his apartment, television station KSEE reported.

Hernandez is being held on suspicion of murder at the Fresno County Jail. Authorities have not released a possible motive for the shooting.

The suspect has a long criminal history and was most recently arrested on July 5 on suspicion of a DUI, driving with a suspended license and battery, The Fresno Bee reported.

Anyone with information regarding the murder should contact the Fresno Police Department or homicide detectives B. Barnes at (559) 621-2421 or M. Alvarez at (559) 621-2441.