BAKERSFIELD — The search for a suspect accused of killing a 23-old man in the parking lot of a store in December ended on Wednesday with one in custody.
According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, investigators with the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Division and Gang Suppression Section were able to locate and arrest 57-year-old Ronald Burchett at around 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 15 near the Kern River in Oildale. Burchett had eluded police for nearly a month after being sought for the fatal stabbing of Steven Corpe on Dec. 18, 2013 at about 8 p.m. in the parking lot of the Dollar General Store located at 111 Roberts Lane in Oildale.
Deputies said when they arrived on scene the night of the stabbing, they found Corpe suffering from a wound to the chest area. He was taken by ambulance to Kern Medical Center where he died a short time later.
Through the course of their investigation, detectives were able to develop enough evidence to obtain an arrest warrant for Burchett. He was booked at the Kern County Jail on one charge of murder.
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