Suspect charged with attempted murder of Arbuckle man

Formal charges were brought against a Shafter man this week in connection with the stabbing and shooting of an Arbuckle man on Oct. 1.

Danny Joe Stearman, 64, was arraigned in Yolo County Superior Court on Tuesday — 23 days after his arrest on charges of attempted murder of Mark Cullen.

He faces additional charges of conspiracy, assault with a firearm and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm.

Cullen, 49, was found by a co-worker on the side of County Line Road, between Old Highway 99W and County Road 88 near Dunnigan, south of Colusa County.

The co-worker had called Cullen when he did not show up for work at Adams Vegetable Oils Inc. Cullen told his co-worker he was dying, according to Yolo County sheriff's Sgt. Lance Faille.

The co-worker then traced Cullen's usual route to work, and found him. His vehicle was missing, but it was later found on Old Highway 99W south of County Line Road, the Sheriff's Department reported.

Cullen had suffered a number of stab wounds to his upper torso and head, but it was not until investigators got the first medical report back from the hospital that they also learned he had been shot, Faille said.

Once Cullen was able to communicate with investigators, first in writing and then verbally, the information led to an arrest warrant being served on Stearman, who is the brother of Cullen's former father-in-law, Faille said.

Shafter police arrested Stearman on Oct. 9.

A search warrant alsow as served on his home and vehicles, but Faille said he was not aware of what evidence might have been discovered.

Asked specifically about whether a gun was retrieved, Faille said he did not know.

He also declined to say whether Stearman has made any statements.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Yolo County Sheriff's Investigations Unit at 668-5212.