Lance Stoyer

Retired Sergeant Lance Stoyer served 30 years with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, building a distinguished career centered on complex criminal and administrative investigations. For over 16 years, he worked as an investigator, handling a broad spectrum of cases, including in-custody deaths, fraud operations, attempted homicides, and internal investigative matters within correctional facilities.

Stoyer’s investigative expertise culminated during his 13-year tenure in the Central Homicide Unit, where he served as both an Investigator and later as a Sergeant. In this role, he was responsible for leading and contributing to more than 250 homicide investigations and approximately 25 officer-involved shooting cases. His work spanned primary and secondary investigative responsibilities, as well as crime scene management, demonstrating a comprehensive command of major case investigations.

Promoted to Master Investigator and later Sergeant, Stoyer played a key leadership role in supervising active homicide teams and overseeing undercover operations. He was also instrumental in advancing investigative practices, including the integration of human factors analysis in use-of-force incidents—highlighting his focus on both investigative precision and administrative review processes.

Earlier in his career, Stoyer contributed to high-risk enforcement operations through SWAT and a federal fugitive task force, experiences that further informed his investigative approach in complex and high-stakes cases. His career reflects a strong emphasis on investigative leadership, case management, and the continuous improvement of investigative methodologies.