San Leandro police arrest 18-year-old man accused of stabbing his mother's boyfriend to death

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. - An 18-year-old man led police on a chase through the East Bay after allegedly stabbing his mother's boyfriend to death in San Leandro on Friday night.

Ty Bothwellmitlitsk, of San Leandro, was eventually taken into custody in Castro Valley early Saturday, said San Leandro police Lt. Issac Benabou.

Police were first called about 11:30 p.m. to a San Leandro home in the 500 block of Beverly Avenue, where they found a 62-year-old man with stab wounds. They gave him first aid until paramedics arrived. 

The victim, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

A motive for the slaying has not been released. The suspect's mother told officers that her son fled in her car after the stabbing, and detectives learned that he was possibly in San Francisco.

About 3:40 am, investigators spotted Bothwellmitlitsk driving his mother's car back across the Bay Bridge towards San Leandro, Benabou said.

Police tried to stop him but he led officers on a 20-minute pursuit to Dublin before turning back towards the East Bay. The suspect continued to elude several police vehicles until Castro Valley, where he eventually stopped and was arrested, police said.

"This was a violent and seemingly unprovoked incident by a dangerous individual who needed to be caught quickly," Benabou said. "The suspect may be in custody, but this is still an active investigation."

The stabbing is San Leandro's first homicide this year. In 2019, San Leandro had no homicides and one in 2018. 

Bothwellmitlitsk was booked into Santa Rita Jail.