Police shoot and kill man wanted for three Fresno murders

Fresno Police opened fire on a suspect wanted for three recent murders.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Police shoot and kill man wanted for three Fresno murders
Police came face-to-face in a deadly confrontation with a man wanted for three recent Fresno murders.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Police came face-to-face in a deadly confrontation with a man wanted for three recent Fresno murders.

The shooting happened at a duplex on First and Clinton just after 10 a.m. Fresno police say two detectives each fired three shots. At least one hit 21-year-old Matthew Porraz and killed him.

Police say Matthew Porraz was wanted for four months and he knew they were looking for him. A tip led detectives to where he was shot as he tried to run.

Fresno police say plain clothes detectives from the street violence section tactical team showed up at a duplex Tuesday morning and 21-year-old Matthew Porraz was trying to get away again.

Deputy Chief Keith Foster said, "He exited a window and tried to flee from the residence when officers who were within the perimeter confronted him."

Police say officers fired six shots and hit Porraz once. Witnesses said he was shot in the head.

Investigators say Porraz has been wanted since May for the murder of Phillip Poe. Police say Poe confronted Porraz at a store while he was spraying graffiti on a wall.

Porraz was caught Tuesday morning just 30 feet away from the alley where Poe was gunned down. Detectives say at least 40 relatives and friends have helped Porraz evade officers.

"We had information that he was being hid by family members and he was going from residence to residence as well as other gang members who had taken him out of town."

Officers say Porraz was also one of five suspects wanted for the execution style murders of Jose Lopez and Bulmaro Ramirez in early July. Lopez and Ramirez died in what police say appears to be a bad drug deal.

Dozens of neighbors watched police collect evidence outside the crime scene. Among the crowds were family members of victims who police say Porraz killed. This man doesn't want to show his face for fear of gang retaliation. His brother was one of the victims.

"There's still people out there they are looking for so it's still kinda hard. We don't really consider it justice yet, you know. Until we find out they are all going to do their time for what they did."

Police also detained the girlfriend and brother of Porraz for questioning. Police did not find a weapon on Porraz.

Officers are still looking for one more suspect in the double murder. He is Santino Moreno of Fresno.