WELDON, Calif.- Friday, August 7, 2015 – Kern County Sheriff’s officials say that two (2) deputies were shot in a gun battle with the suspect who allegedly killed 64-year-old David Louis Markiewitz at a cabin in Jawbone Canyon. Markiewitz, a retired dentist from Tehachapi, California was identified as the man who was killed by the suspect that has now lead the Kern County Sheriff’s office on a 10-day manhunt. Officials say at around 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2015, Sheriff Deputies and a Bakersfield Police SWAT team were conducting a search of rural outbuildings in Twin Oaks – which is about 30 miles east of Bakersfield, California — when the suspect opened fire. Deputies returned fire, and during the exchange of shots, one deputy was struck by a bullet. Kern County Sheriff’s Office identified the two deputies that were shot as 40-year-old Michael Booker and Jose Perez. Booker, the more seriously wounded deputy, was airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster, California and is in stable condition. Booker has underwent a couple surgeries and is in good spirts. The suspect — whose identity also hasn’t been released — is described as a white male between the ages of 30 & 35, weighing 160 lbs. with long brown hair. Officials say that the suspect was involved in the kidnapping of three men in the Twin Oaks area earlier last week. While the Kern County Sheriff’s Office is taking the lead on this investigation, a number of different agencies are assisting including US Marshal Service, Ridgecrest Police Department, and Bakersfield Police Department. The Bureau of Land Management and the Red Cross are also involved in this investigation. LA County Sheriff’s Office has loaned a helicopter and Orange County Sheriff’s Office has provided night vision equipment for the search. The current search area for the suspect is about a four to five square mile area of rural farmland. Authorities are combing the area, including a number of outbuildings used for storage. Residents in Twin Oaks are warned to stay indoors during the search for the suspect. WELDON, Calif.- Friday, August 7, 2015 – Kern County Sheriff’s officials say that two (2) deputies were shot in a gun battle with the suspect who allegedly killed 64-year-old David Louis Markiewitz at a cabin in Jawbone Canyon. Markiewitz, a retired dentist from Tehachapi, California was identified as the man who was killed by the suspect that has now lead the Kern County Sheriff’s office on a 10-day manhunt. Officials say at around 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2015, Sheriff Deputies and a Bakersfield Police SWAT team were conducting a search of rural outbuildings in Twin Oaks – which is about 30 miles east of Bakersfield, California — when the suspect opened fire. Deputies returned fire, and during the exchange of shots, one deputy was struck by a bullet. Kern County Sheriff’s Office identified the two deputies that were shot as 40-year-old Michael Booker and Jose Perez. Booker, the more seriously wounded deputy, was airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster, California and is in stable condition. Booker has underwent a couple surgeries and is in good spirts. The suspect — whose identity also hasn’t been released — is described as a white male between the ages of 30 & 35, weighing 160 lbs. with long brown hair. Officials say that the suspect was involved in the kidnapping of three men in the Twin Oaks area earlier last week. While the Kern County Sheriff’s Office is taking the lead on this investigation, a number of different agencies are assisting including US Marshal Service, Ridgecrest Police Department, and Bakersfield Police Department. The Bureau of Land Management and the Red Cross are also involved in this investigation. LA County Sheriff’s Office has loaned a helicopter and Orange County Sheriff’s Office has provided night vision equipment for the search. The current search area for the suspect is about a four to five square mile area of rural farmland. Authorities are combing the area, including a number of outbuildings used for storage. Residents in Twin Oaks are warned to stay indoors during the search for the suspect.
