( CNN ) -- Three law enforcement officers patrolling a remote stretch of northern California woods shot dead a double-murder suspect whom authorities had been hunting for 36 days , a sheriff said . Aaron Bassler was wearing black clothing and carrying a large backpack , a fanny-pack and assault rifle when three Sacramento sheriffs spotted him early Saturday , Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said . From about 40 yards away and at an elevation 25 feet higher , they fired about seven rounds into his upper torso . Allman said Bassler did n't fire a shot , and there was no verbal exchange between the parties . The suspect raised his weapon -- which was loaded and not on safety -- from the ground toward law enforcement officers . It is believed to be the same weapon used to kill one of his victims , officials said . The suspect was considered `` armed and dangerous , '' and was believed to have engaged in a gunfight with three other law enforcement officers from Alameda County two days earlier . There was no `` shoot-to-kill '' order in effect , Allman said . `` I fully support the manner in which this happened , '' the sheriff said , responding to inquiries that the suspect was killed without any warning or having fired a shot . `` There will be no more lives endangered by Aaron Bassler . '' Authorities wanted Bassler for the killing of Jere Melo on August 27 just east of Fort Bragg on the northern California coast 10 miles north of Mendocino . Melo , 69 , was an Army veteran as well as a former mayor and then-councilman in Fort Bragg at the time of his death . A witness saw a gunman open fire and later identified the suspect , according to Allman . He has also been identified as the suspect in the August 11 slaying of Matthew Coleman in Westport , just north of Fort Bragg . Allman said Saturday that DNA evidence linked him to Coleman 's death . For over a month , more than 40 local , state and federal law enforcement agencies have teamed up to look for him . In the process , he has been a suspect in several burglaries in which he kicked in locked doors and made off with food and guns , said Allman . One such incident occurred between Thursday and Friday in a garage-shop about two miles from where Bassler was eventually found . A police bloodhound tracked his scent , helping steer authorities in the direction that they believed the suspect might be -- and leading to the operation Saturday . The officers who gunned down Bassler were among about 15 three-person teams brought in from around the state for the search . Bassler 's family was `` not happy '' when a law enforcement official contacted them Saturday about the death because the press had already put out the news , according to the sheriff . `` I do have some feelings for the Bassler family , they suffered a loss today , '' Allman said . `` ( But ) I assure you , that the other two losses that we felt in this county were something that law enforcement remembered every day . '' A $ 30,000 reward for information leading to Bassler had been offered . There was no indication Saturday that anyone will receive it . CNN 's Greg Botelho contributed to this report .
" Bassler was involved in two murders in August in Mendocino County . More than 100 law enforcement agents have been involved in the hunt for him . He is shot dead by a group of sheriff ##s in remote wilderness area . The suspect was not warned and did n't fire , but was considered ` ` dangerous ''