Woman arrested in Oklahoma nearly three decades after San Carlos murder

It was a Bay Area murder that gained national interest and attention at the time.

Now, nearly three decades later, there has been a major development in a 1993 San Carlos cold case — the arrest of a murder suspect, in Oklahoma.

On April 26, 1993, San Carlos police officers responded to a report of a shooting at the Devonshire Little Store on Devonshire Boulevard. Upon arrival, police located Shu Ming Tang unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound.

Shu Ming Tang was was pronounced dead, leading investigators to believe he was the victim of a robbery that went wrong.

At the time, a lengthy investigation was conducted with detectives following up on numerous leads. The murder garnered national attention and was eventually featured on TV’s “America’s Most Wanted.”

During recent investigation of the 29-year-old cold case, detectives identified a person of interest that led investigators to Washington County, Oklahoma. On March 16, San Mateo County sheriff’s detectives conducted simultaneous operations in Oklahoma and Sacramento. Additional evidence was discovered and, as a result, sheriff’s detectives arrested Rayna Hoffman-Ramos, 63, in Oklahoma.

In a press conference held Thursday, San Mateo County Sheriff Carlos Bolanos said:

“With an abundance of pride, I announce a significant development in a 1993 cold case murder of Shun Ming Tang. This was a cold case for nearly three decades. Today, I can announce that we’ve made an arrest and justice for Mr. Tang’s family is at hand. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Tang family for their support. I hope your family will finally get the justice you deserve and the closure you desire.”

Hoffman-Ramos is currently being held without bail in Oklahoma pending extradition to the Bay Area.