Deadly Iowa Hill shootout: What we know about the gunman Placer County deputies killed in standoff

Placer County deputies fatally shot a man in an hourslong standoff after he killed a 76-year-old woman, officials said. Derek Spencer, 44, had been arrested multiple times in the weeks leading up to the early Monday morning shootout that lasted for hours before he died, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office. The investigation includes the death of Cheryl Macy and a nearby fire that complicated the crime scene. Below is what we know about the events leading up to the shootout.

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Scoop News DeskIowa Hill · Published Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 5:19 AM UTCUpdated Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 11:30 AM UTC

Scoop News reporting summary

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Officials said. 1 dead — Cheryl Macy and Spencer was arraigned for his first arrest on Sept. Sacramento County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Ed Igoe confirmed Spencer has been booked three times this month: Spencer was released on bond for the sheriff's office arrests on Sept. Igoe elaborated on the process, saying, “Realistically, once we have the ability to make a probable cause arrest, it goes off on the courts at that point.

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