US Marshals arrest Vallejo homeless encampment shooting suspect on Treasure Island

VALLEJO – A Vallejo man suspected of fatally shooting two people and critically injuring a third at an encampment remains in custody, following his arrest June 4 on Treasure Island by agents with the U.S. Marshals Service .

Residents of the encampment said the suspect, identified as Eddie Charles Sample, had threatened people there with a shotgun before the shooting. 

Vallejo police detectives obtained a warrant to arrest Sample and requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals to locate him in connection with the shooting May 26 at the encampment near Daniels Avenue and Sacramento Street, according to a press release from the Vallejo Police Department.

Sample was booked into the Solano County Jail on charges including murder, parole violation and evading police. He is being held without bail, according to Vallejo police spokesperson Rashad Hollis. 

Vallejo police officers responded to emergency calls at approximately 5:30 p.m. on May 26 and found three men suffering from gunshot wounds. Two of the men — Billy Hinkle, 44, and Craig Cousins, 59 —died at the scene and a third man was transported to the hospital with critical injuries. 

The shootings took place at an encampment known as “the Island” on an artificial peninsula that extends into White Slough and connects to properties along Sonoma Boulevard by a footbridge

Hinkle was living at the encampment with his wife of 22 years, Kim Hinkle, who told the Sun that they have two adult children who live out of state. Kim Hinkle said that she is devastated by the loss of her husband and the only thing that offers any consolation is that Billy had died attempting to defuse a situation that endangered the community.

According to Kim Hinkle, a man who had visited the camp regularly in the weeks leading up to the shooting had threatened residents of the camp with a shotgun and fired it into the air. 

Kim Hinkle said that she told her husband that she was concerned for the safety of the camp. She said she later learned that Billy had been shot and killed after he approached the man. She said she feels some relief that the suspect was arrested because her and other encampment residents have been worried that he might show up at the camp again.

According to encampment resident John Garcia, Cousins regularly looked out for other members of the community and residents believe he was shot when he confronted the man about threatening other residents of the camp.

According to residents, the third victim, who was transported to the hospital after police arrived, was shot on the east side of White Slough.

Senior Inspector with the U.S. Marshals Service, Chris Tamayo, said that Sample was arrested without incident as he exited a building on Treasure Island.