Detectives arrest suspected accomplice in homicide near East Sacramento tennis club

Detectives on Wednesday arrested a second suspect in the death of a 70-year-old man who police say was stalked before he was shot in an apparent robbery outside an East Sacramento tennis club.

Tajenae Unique Cooper, 23, was arrested on suspicion of robbery in connection with the Oct. 20 shooting death of former Capital Public Radio executive Charles Starzynski, who was killed in broad daylight near the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club near 39th and N streets.

Cooper remained in custody Thursday afternoon at the Sacramento County Jail, where she was being held without bail. Jail records indicated she is scheduled to appear Friday afternoon for her arraignment hearing in Sacramento Superior Court.

DeSean Leon Brasser Jr., 23, was arrested several hours after the deadly shooting and has been charged with murder in Starzynski’s slaying. That night, officers arrested Brasser, who reportedly fled from police and tried to hide in an apartment complex on Florin Road and Shoal Court in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood.

Starzynski and Brasser did not know each other. Detectives believe Brasser and Cooper, 23, followed Starzynski from a local bank to where the shooting occurred, the Sacramento Police Department announced Thursday in an updated news release.

Sacramento Police Capt. Stephen Moore has said one gunshot was fired during that confrontation, and Starzynski was fatally wounded. The vehicle left the scene. Officers arrived within four minutes and found Starzynski, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Moore said witnesses at the scene gave police two letters of the license plate of the suspect vehicle. Within 45 minutes, investigators identified the suspect vehicle, its license plate and a potential suspect, later identified as Brasser. Moore said detectives within two hours were outside the suspect’s home.

Police caught up to Brasser as he sat in the car believed to have been used in the robbery, Moore said.