Fresno, CA: Suspects Shot and Killed By CHP Officers Identified

By KSEE News

July 8, 2011
Updated Jul 8, 2011 at 11:09 PM PDT
The house on East Roberts Avenue in Fresno looks like a typical middle class home. The people that lived in it though, were not exactly a typical family. Sharon mello, 48, and Keith Cervelli, 57, moved into the house six months ago. They were the suspects shot and killed during an officer involved shooting in Fresno, Thursday.
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Fresno resident Lynn Ross said, "I am totally shocked! I would not have never thought."
Lynn Ross and her husband live next door. They said they always heard yelling from the couple's house and Sharon Mello looked like she was always nervous. They said things became suspicious when police officers visited the home for the first time.
"The police came and called him and her brother out and I think the whole neighborhood started thinking, what's going on here? Our neighborhood isn't like that," said Ross.
Ross said police visits became frequent. Mello even asked for her help at one point.
Ross explained, "She came in and was very very nervous at that time so I said, 'Sharon what's wrong?' She said, 'I think he's going to kill me.' She said he's been hitting me and he wanted me to stay in the house but I got away from him and I want to call 911.' And I said, 'Well go upstairs and stay away from the windows."
Records show Mello and Cervelli have been in trouble with the law for years. In 2008, Cervelli was wanted by the Fresno County Sheriff's Office for burglary. Since 2007 he's spent time behind bars for being involved in two burglaries. He also did time for drug and stolen property possession and driving with a suspended license, eight times. Mello has drug possession, driving with a suspended license and petty theft on her record.
Mello and Cervelli were driving a stolen Honda when CHP officers tried pulling them over. A pursuit started and ended when the car lost control. The driver then regained control and tried to ram into a CHP car. That is when officers opened fire at the car.
Two CHP officers were involved in the shooting. They have not yet been identified. Both are currently on paid leave.