By Robert J. Hansen | OBSERVER Staff Writer
Sacramento police, in collaboration with the U.S. Marshal’s Service and America’s Most Wanted, apprehended a long sought-after murder suspect Tuesday according to a press statement.
The suspect, Tahje Michael, had been at large for the past 19 months after the alleged murder of Gregory Najee Grimes in Sacramento on July 4, 2022.
Before America’s Most Wanted got involved, a police spokesman said Sacramento investigators received information that Michael could have been in Los Angeles where they executed search warrants.
“We knew that there was a likelihood that he probably wasn’t in the Sacramento area which is really what pushed us to get this to America’s Most Wanted to get his name and face out there across the country,” the spokesman told the OBSERVER.
The episode that aired Jan 29. led to Michael’s arrest within a month. That was the first time Michael’s identity was released.
Police received several tips in the days that followed the episode that led investigators to Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Michael, 29, remained elusive until a breakthrough collaboration with America’s Most Wanted and the U.S. Marshal’s Service provided the necessary resources to locate him in Fayetteville, police said.
“Once it goes out there, it may let the suspect know that we know that it’s him,” the spokesman said. “We’re very thoughtful in our decision making when we are going to release someone’s information.”
In this case, investigators had a suspect, had information that he wasn’t in the Sacramento area and was considered a dangerous suspect.
“For the protection of the community at large, we felt it was important to share that information to try to get a lead and information to apprehend this person,” the spokesman said.
Michael is currently being held in custody in Fayetteville on felony murder charges.
The Sacramento police department said Michael’s arrest marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victim and his family.
“Today’s apprehension underscores the unwavering commitment of law enforcement to pursue justice,” Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said.
Gregory Najee Grimes was 31 years old when he was killed by gun violence. The shooting happened around 2 a.m. near a nightclub in the area of 15th and L streets. Four other men were injured in the incident.
Deborah Lewis-Grimes, Gregory’s mother, told the OBSERVER that when she received the call that Michael had been apprehended, all she could tell the detective was “thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“I couldn’t even formulate anything in my mind to go beyond gratitude,” Lewis-Grimes said.
She gives credit to all the members in law enforcement who worked in apprehending Michael and said that getting their story on America’s Most Wanted was crucial.
“We were very fortunate because they [America’s Most Wanted] received thousands of requests,” Lewis-Grimes said.
Gregory Najee Grimes was deeply involved in his community as a defensive line coach for the Inderkum High School football team, a father, a son and a mentor to disadvantaged students.
His mother said that Grimes worked with special needs students at Inderkum and had worked at the Roberts’ Family Development Center.
“He got into the idea that being a servant leader is incredibly important to the African American community,” Lewis-Grimes said.
Grimes left behind a four year old son who is now six. He would take his son to fly kites, go to the movies, play all sorts of sports and go to the waterpark.
“Every week we would have a movie and dinner night,” Lewis-Grimes said.
Grimes attended Boise State University and was the first student athlete from Inderkum to receive a scholarship. His jersey, number 10, is the only jersey Inderkum has retired.
After he was killed, a vigil in his honor packed Inderkum’s football stadium.
Inderkum High head football coach Reggie Harris said Grimes meant a lot to the school and the community. “He set the standard for Inderkum and then came back (to coach and mentor), showing evidence of the greatness he portrayed.”
The team and school was devastated by Grimes murder but came together and have found a sense of closure now that an arrest has been made, Harris added. “He was a great man and a great role model for this community. He was a selfless individual.”
Voice of the Youth founder Berry Accius has been advocating for Grimes’ family as he has for many other victims of gun violence in Sacramento.
Accius said the apprehension of Michael was bittersweet because nothing can bring back Grimes to his family and community. “Nobody wins in this, there are broken families on both sides,” he said.
Accius says that too often situations escalate into gun violence. Grimes and Michael didn’t know each other and were at the same place having a good time earlier that night, according to Lewis-Grimes.
“Regardless of situations that occur, gun violence isn’t the answer,” Accius said.
“I don’t know what took place or what was said but one person lost their life and let’s not forget that four other people were shot.”
He described Michael’s alleged actions as ignorant and reckless.
Accius said his mission is to impress upon young people that there are alternatives to gun violence.
Lewis-Grimes said she is leading the effort to lobby for AB 2913, also known as Open Unsolved Murder: Review and Reinvestigation bill.
Authored by Assemblymember Mike Gibson (D-Los Angeles), the bill, if made into law, would require law enforcement to review the casefile of an open unsolved murder to determine if a reinvestigation would result in probative investigative leads, according to the bill.
Lewis-Grimes said her son wrote daily affirmations on a white board and that the last affirmation he wrote was “be grateful always.”
“That is a mantra that we live by everyday now. We are grateful for everything because we know that nothing is promised, not even tomorrow,” Lewis-Grimes said.