Elk Grove, California — Newly released body-worn camera footage is shedding light on the final moments of a former Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy who authorities say killed his 11-year-old son before leading officers on a high-speed chase that ended in a deadly shooting.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office released an edited, narrated compilation showing deputies tracking 40-year-old Marvin Morales after Elk Grove police responded to a call from the child’s mother on the morning of December 2, 2025. Police say the mother was watching home security cameras when she saw Morales assault their son and then saw the child lying unresponsive, prompting her to call for help. Officers arrived at a home on Ferrell Way and found the boy suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was rushed to a hospital but did not survive.
Morales had left before officers arrived, and investigators began working to locate his vehicle. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies treated Morales as a high-risk suspect due to his prior law enforcement training, military background, and potential access to weapons.
Video shows deputies eventually spotting Morales on Interstate 5 and initiating a pursuit that investigators said reached speeds exceeding 100 mph. During the chase, an outside agency deployed spike strips that appeared to deflate at least one of Morales’ tires. Not long after, Morales lost control and crashed down an embankment, rolling his vehicle before it came to rest between trees.
In the footage, deputies can be seen exiting their patrol vehicles and issuing loud commands for Morales to show his hands. Investigators said Morales then produced what appeared to be a rifle and pointed it toward deputies, leading at least two deputies to fire multiple rounds. Additional officers from other agencies also fired, officials said. Sheriff Jim Cooper was not among those who discharged their weapons. Morales was later transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Morales had previously been fired for lying about fentanyl exposure on duty.
