Sacramento mother’s car stolen twice in one week, suspect arrested
Deborah Grimes, who founded a charity in memory of her late son, had his cherished car stolen twice in one week, with police confirming the same suspect was involved in both incidents.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Deborah Grimes, the mother of a former Inderkum High School football coach who was killed in 2022, says she feels violated after her late son’s car was stolen twice in one week.
“This was Najee’s car, and it was the last thing before he was taken,” said Grimes, CEO of the Greg Najee Grimes 212 Anchor Foundation, a charitable organization she created in her son’s honor.
Grimes said the 2019 GMC Acadia holds deep sentimental value.
“It’s a part of our lives, it’s a tribute to him. It could be any other vehicle, but that particular vehicle, that one, is the one that means the most to us because it was his car,” she said.
Najee Grimes was killed in 2022 outside a club in downtown Sacramento.
“This particular person came up with a gun that had a switch and he starts shooting. He shot five people multiple times. Najee was shot seven times, and he was the only fatality,” Grimes said.
Last Wednesday, police say the car was stolen for the first time.
“I couldn’t believe it. I could barely even talk. All I could think of was pieces of Najee being taken away. What more could we bear?” Grimes said.
The car, which Grimes uses for her foundation’s work, also contained a jewelry urn with some of her son’s ashes.
“His jewelry urn, which has a dreamcatcher, was hanging on the rearview mirror, and all I was thinking of was someone is driving around with my son’s ashes,” she said.
Police recovered the car shortly after the first theft, but early this morning, it was stolen again—this time right in front of Grimes’ home.
“This is why I stayed up. This is why my eyes are red. It was like lightning striking twice,” Grimes said.
Police confirmed it was the same suspect in both incidents. Hours after the second theft, officers informed Grimes they had recovered the car again.
Grimes said she plans to press charges and has contacted the district attorney’s office.
“Do not let something like this happen, not just to me but to other families,” she said.
Sacramento police confirmed they arrested 28-year-old Parris Lee-McCall on charges related to the stolen car.