Authorities in Sonoma County confirmed Monday the arrest of a suspect in a deadly shooting near a bar on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma over the weekend.
According to an update on the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, detectives from the sheriff’s violent crimes unit made the arrest in the Sunday murder.
Dave Cannon
Officers responded to the area of Lakeville Highway and Stage Gulch Road near Ernie’s Tin Bar Sunday afternoon around 4:15 p.m. after receiving a report that a person was found dead with possible gunshot wounds.
Officers found the victim, who appeared to have been shot. Shell casings were also found in the area.
After arriving on the scene and collecting evidence, detectives were able to locate the suspect in San Jose and arrest him around 4:30 a.m. Monday morning. He was identified as 59-year-old Salome, Arizona, resident Paul Elliot Coilton.
He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail and faces charges of murder, auto theft, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition. He remains in custody without bail.
Authorities have not provided additional information about the crimes committed. The sheriff’s office thanked the community for their assistance in providing information about the incident.
