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Rio Linda Man Arrested For Killing Alleged Burglar

RIO LINDA, Calif. (CBS13) -- A homeowner was arrested Sunday afternoon after allegedly killing a man who he believed had robbed his home, authorities said.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said 29-year-old Steven Zinda fatally wounded a man after chasing him away from his home on the 7200 block of 2nd Street just after 4:30 a.m.

Zinda called authorities and led deputies to the wounded man, who was pronounced dead at the scene due to trauma to his head and upper body.

In statements to investigators, Zinda said he returned home early Sunday morning and saw someone running away from his home. A short time later, Zinda said he spotted a male subject near his home and confronted him with a weapon.

The man ran away, and Zinda chased him to a field nearly a quarter mile away and attacked him with the weapon, killing him, authorities said. Investigators recovered the suspected weapon in the attack.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said detectives haven't found any link between the victim and the burglary. It's likely, although not conclusive, that Zinda killed the man because he mistakenly believed he was involved in the earlier crime.

Zinda was arrested on murder charges and is being held without bail.

The nature of the weapon recovered at the scene has not been released. The identity of the victim has not been released.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the Sheriff's department at (916) 874-5115.

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