By admin 
The tiny Sierra foothills community of Iowa Hill near Sacramento drew widespread attention after an 18-hour manhunt that left a 76-year-old woman dead and ended in a two-hour gunfight between deputies and an armed suspect.
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Derek Robert Spencer, 44, died in a shootout with deputies early Monday after exchanging gunfire with Placer County sheriff’s deputies in the heavily forested terrain surrounding the remote community.
The ordeal began Sunday after authorities said Spencer threatened people with a gun, rammed a sheriff’s patrol vehicle and fled into the forest. During the ensuing search, deputies found Iowa Hill resident Cheryl Macy, 76, shot to death inside her home.
Authorities said Spencer also fired at deputies and a sheriff’s helicopter and started multiple fires. The danger kept firefighters from attacking a nearby wildfire for hours and prompted authorities to tell Iowa Hill residents to lock their doors and remain inside.
The final confrontation unfolded in darkness early Monday, when deputies exchanged gunfire with Spencer for more than two hours before he was killed, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
Here’s what to know about the isolated California Gold Rush community where the manhunt unfolded:
Where is Iowa Hill?
Iowa Hill is about 10 miles east of Colfax and about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento. It’s an unincorporated community in Placer County at 2,861 feet elevation.
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The community sits in rugged American River canyon country. Although only a few miles from Colfax as the crow flies, reaching Iowa Hill requires a winding drive through the foothills.
How many people live in Iowa Hill?
The permanent population of the town is about 50 people, but can swell to about 200 during holidays.
What is Iowa Hill known for?
The community was known for a one-room schoolhouse serving kindergarteners through 8th-graders, but Iowa Hill Elementary School closed in 2010 due to a lack of students, Gold Country Media reported.
In 2008, the community finally received telephone service, but many homes still relied on solar power for electricity and used outhouses, The Sacramento Bee reported at the time.
What is the history of Iowa Hill?
At its height during the California Gold Rush, Iowa Hill was reportedly home to more than 10,000 miners and prospectors, The Sacramento Bee reported in 2008. By 1880, the area had yielded more than $20 million in gold.
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This story was originally published September 21, 2026 at 9:14 AM.