In a turn of events that brought a nine-month investigation to a head, the Union City Police Department, with aid from multiple surrounding agencies, has captured three suspects linked to the cold-blooded murder of Michael McNack. McNack, a 38-year-old Union City resident, met his end in a hail of bullets on August 30, 2023, outside his apartment at 33550 7th Street.
After months of gathering evidence, Union City investigators, determined to bring closure quickly, served arrest and search warrants in the early hours of May 30. These operational moves, carried out with precision alongside the SWAT teams of the Hayward, Fairfield, and Union City Police Departments, targeted locations sprinkled across the Bay Area—one in Hayward, one in San Jose, and another in Fairfield.
The suspects in custody are San Jose's Joseph Rosales, 31; Hayward's Erik Anthony Harding, 39; and Fairfield's Wilbert Ard, 37. According to the information provided by the Union City Police Department, all were booked on charges of murder (PC 187) and conspiracy (PC 182). Rosales and Harding are now being held at Santa Rita Jail, while Ard got booked into Solano County Jail.
Revealing the extent of the law enforcement collaboration, a statement from Union City Police notes the critical assistance of East Palo Alto Police Department, San Mateo County’s DA investigators, sheriff’s office, and probation department, Menlo Park Police, California's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the FBI, and personnel from Hayward and Fairfield Police Departments. It was this coalition that ultimately cracked the case and apprehended those accused of unfurling such a tragic end to McNack's life.
The case has not yet closed, as the Union City Police Department’s Investigations Unit continues to peel back layers of this crime. They urge anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Detective Smith can be reached at 510-675-5268 or via email at [email protected]. Sergeant Brandon Hayward is on point for media inquiries and is available at 510-714-1694.
