News

La Quinta murder suspect dead

Published September 17, 2018 4:27 PM

A La Quinta man suspected in a September 13 homicide has died, according to a Riverside County Coroner’s office news release.

56-year-old Stacy Rowan was hospitalized on September 13 with a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a police chase that ended in Ontario, California. On September 15 at 11:35 a.m., Rowan succumbed to his injuries.

The cause of death is yet to be determined pending the Riverside County Coroner’s post-mortem examination.

On September 13, law enforcement responded to the 54-700 block of Avenida Vallejo in La Quinta to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. Upon arrival, they found a deceased man at the scene, and a woman suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

Officers were unable to immediately locate a suspect in the area. Area law enforcement agencies were provided with a possible suspect vehicle description. The vehicle was later spotted in Banning by a Sheriff’s deputy, and a pursuit followed. California Highway Patrol officers took over the chase shortly afterward, and the chase came to an end near the intersection of Empire Blvd. and Archibald Ave. in Ontario.

After Rowan’s vehicle stopped, law enforcement discovered Rowan slumped in his seat in the vehicle, suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported from the scene to an area hospital.

During the homicide investigation, the residence caught fire; neighboring residences were evacuated out of an abundance of caution. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No emergency responders were injured.

In late July, Rowan was arrested for possession of illegal weapons at the same residence.

Anyone with information relating to this case is urged to contact Investigator Manjarrez of the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3530.