October 6, 2006

Evergreen Area Police report

Suspect identified in 27-year-old homicide

In the early morning hours of January 15, 1979, the brutally murdered body of Virginia Correa was found lying on the side of a remote rural road in unincorporated East San Jose. A passing motorist, who called the Sheriff’s Office, spotted the body of Mrs. Correa, a mother of two.

Virginia Correa

Detectives determined that Mrs. Correa had been raped and stabbed multiple times. Over the next several months, detectives exhausted all available leads until the case went cold.

Over the next 27 years, Sheriff’s detectives revisited the case numerous times with no further leads. With the advent of advanced DNA screening, detectives submitted the available evidence and a DNA profile matching an “unknown male offender” was developed. This DNA profile was entered into the California Department of Justice DNA database (CODIS), where it sat dormant for several years.

Timothy William Brown

On Sept. 22, 2006, the Sheriff’s Office received notification from the Santa Clara County Crime Lab that they had received a “CODIS hit” from the California Department of Justice. Testing showed that Timothy William Brown, 54, a long time Santa Clara County resident, was a positive DNA match.

On Monday, September 25, the District Attorney’s Office filed murder charges against Brown, who was serving his last day of a five-month parole violation at Corcoran State Prison. Brown was arrested at Corcoran and subsequently transported to the Santa Clara County jail where he was booked.

Anyone with information concerning this case is encouraged to contact Sheriff’s Cold Case Detective Ron Breuss at (408) 808-4500.

Homicide on Trieste Court

On September 16, at approximately 2:33 a.m., the San Jose Police Department responded to Trieste Court on a report of a man stabbed at a house party. Responding units found Tuan Vo dead on the front sidewalk of the house. Witnesses at the house party stated that Tuan Vo was involved in a fight with numerous Asian male suspects in front of the residence. Witnesses observed Tuan Vo being punched and kicked while lying in the middle of the street surrounded by suspects. Witnesses also stated that the suspect group had previously been inside the house party, but had been asked to leave because it was getting late and they had been too rowdy.

Homicide investigators have arrested four suspects involved in the assault and murder of the victim, a student at a local college with no prior criminal record and three days shy of his 23rd birthday.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call Detective Sgt. Wil Manion or Detective Sgt. James Randol of the San Jose Police Dept.’s Homicide Unit at (408) 277-5283. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-STOP.

Sept. 26
Kidnapping
1500 Block of Ivy Creek Circle
At approximately 6 p.m. at the 900 Block of Jeanne Avenue, the suspect pointed a shotgun at his girlfriend as she held their five-month-old child. The suspect’s brother took the child and fled in a car. Both suspects and the child were located during a car stop at Story and White. The child was returned unharmed to her mother. The suspects were booked into county jail.

Sept. 27
Armed robbery
Heritage Valley Drive
The victim opened her front door and was confronted by an armed suspect. The suspect entered the residence and took property from the victim at gunpoint. The suspect fled and is outstanding.

Sept. 30
Hit-and-run
Quimby/Keppler Court
An officer was assisting another officer on a traffic stop when a vehicle collided with his stopped patrol car. The officer was uninjured, but his patrol car sustained significant damage. The suspect fled in his vehicle eastbound on Quimby Road and has not been apprehended or identified despite a lengthy search for the vehicle.

Sept. 30
Hit-and-run, DUI
Martin Avenue/Rubion Drive
A police vehicle driven by an officer was rear-ended by a vehicle at Marten and Rubion Drive rendering the patrol car inoperable. The vehicle fled the scene. The officer sustained soreness and minor pain as a result of the collision. Officers located the vehicle and through further investigation identified the suspect. The suspect was booked into County Jail for hit-and-run and DUI.

Oct. 4
Car jacking
522 Nice Court
The victim arrived home and found two subjects tending to their damaged vehicle. He tried to assist them only to be struck in the head with a car jack and have his car stolen by the subjects. The suspects fled in the victim’s vehicle, leaving the original car at the scene.

Oct. 4
Narcotic influence/use of force
3400 Block of Casalino Court
Family members called describing the subject as being intoxicated and causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and the subject resisted them. Officers utilized the Taser to subdue the subject.

Source: San Jose Police Dept.