Press release: Ronald Michael Werth convicted of murder

Contact Person:
Mark Curry,
Deputy District Attorney
(916) 874-6641

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that a Sacramento County jury has convicted Ronald Michael Werth (23) of the murder with of Patrick Riley Haeling (18), and the attempted murders of Jennifer Salmon (15) and Shawn Pollard (18). The jury also found true certain “special circumstances”, making the punishment life without the possibility of parole. Last Friday, a second jury in the same trial, similarly convicted David Trujillo (22) of the murder of Haeling and the attempted murders. He also faces life without the possibility of parole. Formal sentencing for both is scheduled for October 25, 2002 at 9:00 a.m. in Department 39.

The case involved a home invasion and botched robbery attempt that occurred at a Fair Oaks home during the early morning hours of October 6, 1998. Werth, Trujillo, and a third individual, John Fjelstad, forced their way into the home at gunpoint seeking for marijuana that the homeowner had been growing in the back yard. Frustrated by the fact that there was no marijuana present, Werth and Trujillo open fire upon Riley Haeling and Jennifer Salmon while they were seated on a couch. Haeling may have used his own body to shield Jennifer from the hail of bullets. He was shot five times and died. She was shot twice and survived.

Following several months of investigation immediately following the murder, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department arrested two men, Anthony Salcedo and David Quindt. Quindt and Salcedo were subsequently charged and their case proceeded to a jury trial in November 1999. A mistrial was declared during Salcedo’s case, however the jury found Quindt guilty as charged.

Within days of Quindt’s formal sentencing date, the District Attorney received information from an informant that perhaps Quindt and Salcedo were innocent. Following several months of further investigation conducted by the District Attorney’s office, evidence was uncovered that showed that, in fact, Quindt and Salcedo were innocent. The new information subsequently led to the arrests of Fjelstad, Werth, Trujillo in April 2000. The charges against Salcedo and Quindt were dismissed and they were released from custody.