More than 21 years after a Mountain View Police Department murder investigation began, detectives on Wednesday (Aug. 18) made an arrest in the cold case.
The MVPD announced the arrest of Stockton resident Charles Morris, 70, in a press release published Thursday.
Detectives connected Morris to the April 27, 2000, death of Michael Wallace during their initial investigation, but they lacked sufficient evidence to arrest him, according to the release. Both men were inmates at the now-defunct Mountain View work furlough facility on Middlefield Road, and detectives believe Morris shot Wallace because he mistook him for someone he previously argued with.
“Another individual there that night who appeared similar in physical description to the employee was standing in the lobby of the building while Wallace was standing down an adjoining hallway,” the release stated.
A bullet shot from a gun outside the facility traveled through a window and hit Wallace inside.
Investigators began re-examining the case in 2019 and were able to build a case against Morris through witness interviews and crime scene evidence, the release stated.
MVPD spokesperson Katie Nelson said investigators are not currently disclosing information about the evidence that led to Morris’ arrest.
Police Chief Chris Hsiung was a detective at the time of the murder, and he assisted with the investigation.
“It is incredible to see the hard work and dedication over so many years bring about some closure to the Wallace family,” Hsiung said, according to the release.
