SANTA ROSA – The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) issued a Community Alert Thursday July 30 for an assault suspect connected to the report of a fall victim in the 13000 block of Dupont Road in the Graton-Sebastopol area. Medical personnel responding to the reported fall victim ascertained that the 97-year-old man has sustained suspicious injuries not consistent with a fall.
The medical team at the scene had determined that the elderly man had been beaten badly with an unknown object. The man was transported to the hospital with serious head injuries. Detectives from the Violent Crimes Investigations (VCI) unit were called to investigate further. By 9:12 pm on Thursday, the victim, identified as Solomon Cohen, died from his injuries.
Detectives identified the suspect as 57-year-old Filimoni Raiyawa, a caretaker at Cohen’s residence. Raiyawa had fled from the scene prior to the arrival of the ambulance. Detectives began an active search for Raiyawa who was considered dangerous. The Community Alert described Raiyawa as six feet tall with a large build. He was last seen driving a light blue Honda Odyssey van.
According to a later update of the Community Alert, Raiyawa was involved in a vehicle accident in San Francisco. San Francisco Police Department officers contacted him, when a struggle ensued. Officers were able to take him into custody; however, Raiyawa stopped breathing and died at the scene.
SCSO VCI detectives are continuing their investigation into the assault that occurred on Dupont Road. There are no other suspects related to this case of assault.
Read More: CrimeVoice.com
