Gustavo Perez Arriaga (left) has been arrested and is accused of killing Cpl. Ronil "Ron" Singh (right) on Wednesday in the small Stanislaus County town of Newman, Calif.

EMBED >More News Videos The vehicle the man suspected of killing Police Corporal Ronil Singh was driving was sold in town, and the folks who made the deal remember the buyer.

EMBED >More News Videos Witness recalls hearing several gunshots, vehicle speeding off after Corporal was shot

EMBED >More News Videos At an emotional news conference on Thursday, Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson remembered Cpl. Ronil Singh as an "American patriot" who came to the U.S. to become a police officer and loved his wife and 5-month-old son dearly.

NEWMAN, Calif. -- A search is underway for the man that deputies believe shot and killed Newman, California police Corporal Ronil "Ron" Singh early Wednesday morning.In a Thursday news conference, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson says his department will not release the name of the man suspected of the crime but say they believe they know who he is.He is described as a heavy-set Hispanic man with black hair. Sheriff Christianson said that the suspect they have identified was in the country illegally.Singh conducted a traffic stop on a pickup truck in Newman around 1 a.m. Wednesday, for suspicion of driving under the influence.As he pulled over the vehicle, Singh described it to dispatchers as a silver Dodge Ram with paper plates from AR Auto, a dealership in Merced.Moments later, Singh called in for shots fired. Several deputies from both Stanislaus and Merced counties responded, where they found the truck and suspect gone and Singh lying on the ground. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries.That set off a statewide search for the suspect and his truck. Law enforcement quickly released surveillance video from a store showing the suspect.The truck was found outside the city of Newman in a mobile home park on Wednesday afternoon, but the suspect was not found in the area. He is still on the run. Police said he is believed to be armed and very dangerous.The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department is leading the effort to find the suspect, and Sheriff Christianson said his deputies are getting tips from people in Fresno and Merced counties, all the way up to the Bay Area."We have a lot of officers here not just from our agency, but several agencies throughout Stanislaus County. Our primary goal is to catch the suspect. We have officers, deputies, counselors with the Newman officers, and the Singh family," said Deputy Royjindar Singh of the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department.Anyone with information pertinent to the investigation can leave an anonymous tip by calling a dedicated line: (209) 525-7202. Tipsters can also e-mail www.modestopolice.com/CrimeStoppers Singh was a K-9 officer with the Newman Police Department. He is survived by his wife and his six-month-old son.He was a legal immigrant from Fiji, and his parents and brother currently live in the island nation. They are now making their way to California.The officer's canine partner, Sam, is now at home with the Singh family. Chief Richardson said that the dog would be retired from the department early to live permanently with them.A memorial fund has been set up for Corporal Singh. Donations can be made in several different ways:Any West America Bank Branch to the Corporal Ronil Singh Memorial Fund (Newman Police Department)Stanislaus Sworn Deputies AssociationCorporal Ronil Singh Memorial FundPO Box 2314Ceres, CA 95307The Stanislaus Sworn Deputies Association says please be aware there are NO other approved or authorized memorial fund or online fundraising accounts that will be established.HERE'S THE FULL TRANSCRIPTION OF CHIEF RICHARDSON'S EMOTIONAL STATEMENT:------