Victim found murdered inside tent at Redding homeless encampment – Man, 19, arrested

October 20, 2021 Trevor Montgomery

REDDING, Calif., — Authorities say the shooting murder of a man whose lifeless body was later found inside a tent at a Redding area homeless encampment led to the arrest of another man yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 19.

The victim was found deceased in an area known as Mercy Canyon, located behind the Mercy Medical Center, according to officials; who have called the shooting an isolated incident and said there is no danger to the general public.

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City of Redding police officers were dispatched to the homeless encampment shortly before 11 a.m. after receiving reports of a gunshot victim, Redding Police Sergeant Sheldon later said of the homicide and subsequent arrest.

Responding officers located the victim deceased inside a tent within the area of the encampment

“The victim appeared to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds,” said Sheldon.

The victim’s name has not been released, pending further investigation and notification of the man’s family.

Alejandro Armstrong, 19, of Redding, was arrested yesterday after he confessed to murdering a man whose lifeless and bullet-riddled body was later found inside a tent at a Redding area homeless encampment. RPD photos

Detectives were summoned to the scene and assumed the investigation, which was aided by detectives from the Anderson Police Department as well as Shasta County District Attorney Investigators.

“Detectives spent the entire day combing evidence, working up leads, reviewing video surveillance and speaking to residents in order to piece together the investigation,” Sheldon described; saying the investigation ultimately led to the identification of 19-year-old, Alejandro Nunez Armstrong, of Redding, as a possible person of interest.

Homicide detectives located Armstrong and brought him into the Redding Police Department’s Detective Division for an interview where he reportedly confessed to shooting and killing the victim, but provided no clear motive, according to the Sergeant.

Armstrong was later booked into the Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of homicide and online jail records indicate he remains in custody.

Redding PD’s investigation is active and ongoing and anyone with information regarding the murder is encouraged to contact the Detective Division of the Redding Police Department (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 21R068647 and can remain anonymous.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.