The Bakersfield District Attorney’s Office has declined to prosecute a California police officer after an investigation found that he manipulated the body of a dead man who was shot by police last year.

The Bakersfield Californian reported that Senior Officer Aaron Stringer arrived on the scene of a Nov. 13 shooting after police opened fire and killed 22-year-old Ramiro James Villegas, who had led them on a chase and then reportedly reached for his waistband. However, no gun was ever found on the suspect.

After the body was moved to Kern Medical Center, multiple officers said that they witnessed Stringer touch the corpse in an unprofessional way.

Trainee Lindy DeGeare told Bakersfield Police Department investigators that Stringer touched the bottom of Villegas’ feet and said, “tickle, tickle.”

She said that he also turned Villegas’ head several times, and watched as it returned to its original position because rigor mortis had already set in.Stringer laughed and told her that he “loves playing with dead bodies,” DeGeare recalled.

The veteran officer later advised her to “just say no” if detectives asked if she had seen the body. A second officer who was at the hospital said that he also observed Stringer manipulating the body.

Last edited by Just Fred (4/13/2015 9:24 pm)