Man shot and killed by Fresno County deputies connected to murder of 44-year-old woman
On Thursday, deputies announced that they believe Dennis Happawana was responsible for the death of 44-year-old Amanda Berry.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno County Sheriff's Office has announced that a suspect shot and killed by deputies earlier this month is connected to a murder.
On Thursday, deputies announced that they believe 32-year-old Dennis Happawana was responsible for the death of 44-year-old Amanda Berry.
On November 6, Berry was found dead in the driveway of her home at McKinley and Temperance in Fresno County.
Authorities initially thought it was a medical emergency but later determined she had been shot.
Deputies followed up on leads but then soon paused their investigation.
On December 6, Happawana was shot and killed during a standoff with deputies at a home north of the Belmont Country Club.
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Investigators say he shot at a deputy, striking his vehicle, before trying to blow up his family's home during the hours-long standoff.
Through their investigations, deputies found ammunition casings similar to those at the scene of Berry's murder.
Testing done on the casings connected the two incidents.
Handwriting also helped deputies connect the two crime scenes.
They say a note was found where Berry was killed. Also, after Happawana was shot and killed, deputies found similar handwriting on items at his property.
Happawana's parents told deputies he had recently dealt with mental health issues.
