Nicholas William Pontliana, 68, was one of two people found dead from gunshot wounds inside a home on the 4400 block of 71st Street in Sacramento. His body was discovered early on April 18, 2025, after a roughly six-hour standoff between law enforcement and a suspect who refused to surrender.

Sacramento police responded to a disturbance about 11:30 p.m. on April 17 after a woman asked a neighbor for help, saying there was an armed man inside her home. Officers heard at least one gunshot upon arrival, set a perimeter, and took 44-year-old Manfred Schield into custody about 5:30 a.m. on April 18. Officers then entered and located Pontliana and 64-year-old Cynthia Torres deceased from gunshot wounds. Neighbors said Schield had been hired years earlier to help with renovations and some speculated he had developed an attachment to the property; authorities have not disclosed a motive.

Schield was booked on felony murder and firearm possession by a felon charges, held without bail and scheduled for a May 27, 2025, court appearance; during his first appearance he behaved aggressively in court. Friends called Pontliana kind and gentle and said he had been dealing with health issues before his death. Is there anyone who knew Pontliana or Torres who can help fill in their recent whereabouts or contacts?