Police: Man Suspected Of Killing Deputy, Locksmith Shot Self Surrounded By Weapons

MODESTO (CBS13) - The man suspected of killing a Stanislaus County sheriff's deputy and a civilian locksmith last week later shot himself in the bathtub inside his Modesto apartment surrounded by a large cache of weapons, police revealed on Tuesday.

Late Monday afternoon, the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office confirmed the identify of Jim Richard Ferrario, 45, as the person found dead inside the complex at the 2100 block of Chrysler Drive.

Ferrario is believed to have shot Deputy Robert Paris and locksmith Glendon Engert on Thursday, then barricaded himself inside his apartment for 11 hours as hundreds of law enforcement officers responded to the scene and SWAT teams surrounded his residence. He never came out and the residence caught fire overnight. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A body was pulled out the next day.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department was in the process of formally evicting Ferrario from the residence and had posted a notice of eviction five days prior to the shooting on Ferrario's front door. The notice informed Ferrario that deputies would be returning on April 12, the day of the shooting.

Ferrario was found in the bathroom of his residence with a stockpile of weapons and ammunition, police said. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, a gas mask, makeshift ballistic protective padding strapped around his extremities, a nylon "police style" duty belt with holstered guns on each side of his body, cargo pants filled with ammunition, and had a tear gas canister strapped to his leg.

Within arm's reach of Ferrario, detectives discovered 22 firearms, of which 17 were rifles and shotguns, as well as an SKS and an M-16. There were also more than 500 rounds of ammunition and a police scanner. In addition, Ferrario had a supply of several gallons of water. Detectives believe Ferrario used one of the recovered high-powered assault rifles to kill Deputy Paris and Engert.

During the standoff, Ferrario barricaded his windows with furniture. Ferrario also gained access into the other three residences within the fourplex, which allowed him to move freely throughout the complex, police said. He had several surveillance cameras mounted outside of his complex, allowing him to monitor the front door and the area surrounding his residence.

Police say Ferrario had very little contact with law enforcement prior to this incident - minor traffic citations and a prior verbal dispute with a neighbor.

Investigators from the U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and Modesto Fire Department are investigating the cause of the fire. Investigators have ruled out the possibility of the fire being caused by an electrical malfunction or by a build-up of natural gas. The remaining possibilities are that either Ferrario started the fire or the fire was unintentionally started by law enforcement during the deployment of devices in effort to force him out.

"Even the most routine tasks can turn deadly, as shown by this incident. From all evidence, it appears Ferrario planned on engaging in a violent confrontation with the deputies who appeared that day." said Modesto Police Chief Michael Harden. "Our department grieves the loss of Deputy Paris and Mr. Engert and our hearts go out to their families."

Funeral arrangements for Deputy Robert Paris have been scheduled for Friday at noon at Big Valley Grace Community Church, located at 4040 Tully Road Modesto, CA. There will be a procession from the church to Lakewood Memorial Park at 900 Santa Fe Avenue Hughson after the church service for a graveside service.