Man Stabbed to Death Inside Ethan Way Apartment — Sacramento County Sheriff Investigates

By Lance The PI | Lance The PI News | CA PI License #27617 | June 13, 2026

A 51-year-old man was stabbed to death inside a residence on the 1900 block of Ethan Way in unincorporated Sacramento County early Saturday morning, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. The incident was reported around 2:30 a.m., and investigators say the suspect had already fled the scene before deputies arrived. While the official press release offers few details, scanner traffic obtained exclusively by Lance The PI News reveals a significantly more detailed picture of what unfolded in the early morning hours.

What We Know

Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 1900 block of Ethan Way at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 13th, after the Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a stabbing. Upon arrival, deputies located a 51-year-old male inside the residence suffering from two apparent stab wounds. Deputies immediately began rendering medical aid and requested emergency medical response. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire arrived on scene and pronounced the victim deceased.

According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect had fled the area prior to deputies’ arrival. Homicide Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators responded to the scene and the investigation is active and ongoing. The victim has not been publicly identified pending notification of next of kin.

What the Scanner Reveals

Scanner traffic from the incident, monitored exclusively by Lance The PI News, provides details that go well beyond the official press release. The 911 call came in as a 245 — assault with a deadly weapon — with a medical response simultaneously requested, indicating the severity of the victim’s condition was apparent from the initial call.

According to scanner traffic, the caller who contacted 911 was inside the apartment at the time but told responding deputies they did not witness the stabbing itself. A separate witness on scene, however, provided deputies with a key piece of information: the suspect was identified as the victim’s girlfriend.

Shortly after deputies arrived, a Black female adult wearing a blue dress was observed leaving the complex at a rapid pace. Scanner traffic indicates the woman jumped a fence in what deputies described as an apparent attempt to evade a perimeter that was being established around the complex. Deputies requested additional units and set up a gold perimeter — an outer containment ring — in an effort to locate the suspect. It was not clear from the scanner traffic whether the suspect was apprehended within that perimeter.

Deputies also ran the address through their Computer-Aided Dispatch system and discovered prior call history at the location tied to a girlfriend — corroborating the witness account provided on scene.

A History of Violence on Ethan Way

Saturday’s fatal stabbing is not the first act of serious violence to strike the 1900 block of Ethan Way in recent months. The corridor has seen a troubling pattern of incidents, including a gang-related shooting that killed a 15-year-old in 2024 and a separate incident on the nearby 1800 block in which investigators determined between 30 and 40 rounds were fired at an apartment complex, leaving a 17-year-old male hospitalized. Sheriff’s deputies also responded to multiple aggravated assaults in the neighborhood during that same period.

The latest homicide adds to what community members and law enforcement have acknowledged is a persistent public safety challenge in this stretch of unincorporated Sacramento County. For ongoing coverage of crime and public safety in Sacramento neighborhoods, visit the Lance The PI News Sacramento Neighborhoods hub.

What’s Next

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office has not released a suspect description, has not announced an arrest, and has not publicly identified the victim. Homicide detectives remain on scene and the investigation is active. Lance The PI News will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as information becomes available.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office tip line or reach out anonymously through Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers.