Oklahoma woman arrested in 1993 killing in California

Mar 24, 2022, 1:57 AM | Updated: 2:47 pm
This undated photo provided by the San Mateo, Calif., Sheriff's Office shows Rayna Elizabeth Hoffma...

This undated photo provided by the San Mateo, Calif., Sheriff's Office shows Rayna Elizabeth Hoffman-Ramos. Authorities in Northern California said Thursday, March 24, 2022, that 61-year-old Hoffman-Ramos was arrested in Oklahoma in the 1993 killing of a San Carlos shop owner who was shot during a "robbery gone wrong." The case remained cold for nearly 30 years despite attracting national attention. (San Mateo Sheriff's Office via AP)

(San Mateo Sheriff's Office via AP)

SAN CARLOS, Calif. (AP) — A 61-year-old woman was arrested in Oklahoma in the 1993 killing of a Northern California shop owner who was shot during a “robbery gone wrong,” authorities said Thursday.

Rayna Elizabeth Hoffman-Ramos was arrested in Dewey last week in a case that was cold for nearly 30 years. She is in Washington County Jail awaiting extradition to California to face charges in the April 26, 1993, fatal shooting of Shu Ming Tang, said San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Jacob Trickett at a Thursday news conference.

It was not immediately known if Hoffman-Ramos has retained an attorney who can speak on her behalf. Officials with the San Mateo and Washington county sheriff’s offices said they did not know if she has legal representation.

Tang, who immigrated to California from Taiwan, was shot once in the chest while tending his mom-and-pop shop, the Devonshire Little Store, in the hills of San Carlos, Trickett said. He died at a hospital.

“Mr. Tang was a husband, a father and a friend who came to the United States to provide a better life for his family,” San Carlos Mayor Sara McDowell said Thursday. “His death shook the community of San Carlos and has remained a topic of discussion over the years.”

The killing shocked the quiet bedroom community 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Francisco and attracted national attention after it was featured on “America’s Most Wanted” that same year.

Detectives received information that a woman was seen leaving the store shortly after the shooting. They followed various leads but the case went unsolved for decades, Trickett said.

In 2018, San Mateo County Sheriff’s detectives assigned to cold case investigations reviewed the case, and thanks to “the advancement in forensic technology,” identified Hoffman-Ramos, who lived in San Mateo County at the time of Tang’s killing, as a suspect, he said.

Trickett declined to specify how detectives connected Hoffman-Ramos to the homicide. He said she was the only suspect in the case.

Trickett said Tang’s family has been informed of Hoffman-Ramos’ arrest.

San Mateo County Sheriff Carlos Bolanos said the department thanked the Tang’s relatives for their support, and he hopes the “family will finally get the justice and closure that you deserve.”

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

FILE - A Seattle police officer walks past tents used by people experiencing homelessness, March 11...
Associated Press

Seattle, feds seek to end most oversight of city’s police

  SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department and Seattle officials asked a judge Tuesday to end most federal oversight of the city’s police department, saying its sustained, decade-long reform efforts are a model for other cities whose law enforcement agencies face federal civil rights investigations. Seattle has overhauled virtually all aspects of its police […]
1 day ago
budgets...
Associated Press

Washington moves to end child sex abuse lawsuit time limits

People who were sexually abused as children in Washington state may soon be able to bring lawsuits against the state, schools or other institutions for failing to stop the abuse, no matter when it happened.
1 day ago
Three children and three adults were killed in a shooting at a private Christian grade school in Na...
Associated Press

Nashville shooter who killed 6 drew maps, surveilled school

Three children were killed in a shooting at a private Christian grade school in Nashville on Monday, hospital officials said.
2 days ago
(Photo from KIRO 7)...
Associated Press

Police: passenger pulled jet’s emergency slide before LAX to SEA flight

A passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight out of Los Angeles International Airport was detained for triggering the plane’s emergency slide prior to takeoff, authorities said.
2 days ago
Law enforcement officials work at the scene along Wooding Road on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, east o...
Associated Press

Why murder defendant was free before killings in Washington

Kirkland Warren was out on bail pending a long-delayed murder trial in Arkansas. But when he was arrested in Washington, he posted bond and was released.
2 days ago
fishery...
Associated Press

Much of drought-plagued West Coast faces salmon fishing ban

The surreal and desperate scramble boosted the survival rate of the hatchery-raised fish, but still it was not enough to reverse the declining stocks in the face of added challenges.
5 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Emergency Preparedness...

Prepare for the next disaster at the Emergency Preparedness Conference

Being prepared before the next emergency arrives is key to preserving businesses and organizations of many kinds.
SHIBA volunteer...

Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options!

If you’re retired or getting ready to retire and looking for new ways to stay active, becoming a SHIBA volunteer could be for you!
safety from crime...

As crime increases, our safety measures must too

It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety.
Comcast Ready for Business Fund...
Ilona Lohrey | President and CEO, GSBA

GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund

GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund.
SHIBA WA...

Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help!

The SHIBA program – part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner – is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions.
Lake Washington Windows...

Choosing Best Windows for Your Home

Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation.
Oklahoma woman arrested in 1993 killing in California