Crime

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

'Armed and Dangerous' Suspect Named in Arcata Fatal Shooting

Posted By on Tue, Jul 11, 2023 at 3:49 PM

Gregory Nelson Mattox
  • Gregory Nelson Mattox
The Arcata Police Department has released the name of the suspect in a fatal July 2 shooting.

A news release states APD has secured an arrest warrant for  24-year-old Gregory Nelson Mattox, of McKinleyville, on suspicion of murder. He is described as a white male, about 5 feet, 11 inches tall, thin build with dark hair and blue eyes.

Police said the suspect may be in posession of an handgun and is considered armed and dangerous.

Mattox is wanted in connection with the death of 36-year-old Joshua Paul Gephart, who was found dead on the 5000 block of Boyd Road just before 7:30 a.m.

The Arcata Police Department asks anyone who sees Mattox to immediately call  (707) 822-2424 or 911, while it asks anyone with information to contact detective Johnson at (707) 822-2424.

Find the APD release below:

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Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Sheriff's Office Searching for Shooting Suspect

Posted By on Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 7:36 AM

Jasen Dwain Coley - HCSO
  • HCSO
  • Jasen Dwain Coley
The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office is searching for a 26-year-old suspect in a fatal McKinleyville shooting last night.

Police were called to a home in the 2200 block of Silverbrook Court around 5:25 p.m. and arrived to find a man dead of a gunshot wound out front, according to a press release. Deputies were reportedly told Jasen Dwain Coley shot the man, whose identity is being withheld until his family can be notified, and fled the scene.

According to the release, someone matching Coley's description — 5 feet, 8 inches tall, heavy set, brown hair, brown eyes and a beard — was then spotted in Hiller Park. Police searched the area with air support from the California Highway Patrol but were unable to locate Coley.

Coley, who police believe may be armed with a rifle or shotgun, is associated with a 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Tennessee license plate number 015BKGM. The sheriff's office is asking McKinleyville residents to take some extra precautions, like locking all doors when home and not opening their doors to strangers, for the time being, and to report any suspicious circumstances by calling (707) 445-7251, extension 0.

See the full press release from the sheriff's office copied below.


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Monday, July 3, 2023

UPDATE: Arcata Police ID Homicide Victim

Posted By on Mon, Jul 3, 2023 at 5:59 AM

UPDATE:
The Arcata Police Department has identified the shooting victim as Joshua Paul Gephart, 36, of Fortuna, who had been living in the Valley West area of Arcata, according to a press release.

PREVIUOSLY:
The Arcata Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred early yesterday morning, leaving a 36-year-old Fortuna man shot dead.

The man's identity is being withheld until his family can be notified of his death, according to a press release, and police are releasing little information about the case.

"Preliminary investigation does not indicate an on-going threat to the general public," the release states, noting that a suspect in the killing — which occurred in the 5000 block of Boyd Road — remains at large.

Police ask that anyone with information about the case call (707) 822-2424 or APD's crime time line at (707) 825-2588.

See the full press release copied below:

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Thursday, June 22, 2023

Drug Task Force: 12 Pounds of Meth Seized in Fortuna

Posted By on Thu, Jun 22, 2023 at 11:59 AM

K9 Cain with meth seized by Humboldt County Drug Task Force agents working with the Fortuna Police Department. - HCDTF
  • HCDTF
  • K9 Cain with meth seized by Humboldt County Drug Task Force agents working with the Fortuna Police Department.
The Humboldt County Drug Task Force, working with the Fortuna Police Department, seized 12 pounds of methamphetamine June 20 after serving search warrants on a home and storage unit in the city following a months-long investigation.

Fortuna resident Heriberto Posos Cantu, 37, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of sales, the task force reported in a news release.

The first location searched was a storage unit that Posos Cantu had on the 1000 block of Airport Road, where the HCDTF reported finding “approximately five pounds of methamphetamine, packaging materials and indicia” after FPD K9 Cain alerted his handler to the presence of drugs or firearms hidden inside.

Afterward, the officers and agents moved on to Posos Cantu’s home on the 500 block of Francesco Place, where they saw a group of people pulling out of the driveway and initiated a traffic stop. Three people were detained at the scene and 7 more pounds were found inside the vehicle, according to HCDTF.

“It was later determined that Posos Cantu learned that law enforcement was serving a search warrant on his properties,” the release states. “Upon receiving that information, Posos Cantu called a family member and requested that they remove the methamphetamine from the residence prior to law enforcements arrival.”

Posos Cantu was arrested without incident as he arrived at the residence, inside of which officers and agents reported locating “more packaging material, a digital scale and approximately $10,000,” the release states.

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics-related crimes is asked to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at (707) 267-9976.
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Tuesday, June 13, 2023

After Nearly a Year Of Vandalism, Centro Del Pueblo Calls for City Council to Protect Arcata Sanctuary Garden

Posted By on Tue, Jun 13, 2023 at 2:45 PM

UPDATE:
After publication of this article, APD released a statement responding to the attacks on El Jardin Santuario, which it has classified as hate crimes. APD requests anyone with information about the theft and series of hate crimes contact its Investigations Unit at (707) 822-2428 or its anonymous tip line at (707) 825-2588. Additionally, images taken from El Jardin Santuario’s cameras have been posted to APD’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

PREVIOUSLY:
Community members recently gathered in El Jardin Santuario, a public garden and safe space for immigrants and the BIPOC community in Arcata, to prepare signs and letters to bring to the Arcata City Council — a call to action in response to another attack on the garden in the first week of June. Since July 2022, the garden’s sign has been repeatedly vandalized, its crops cut down, cameras stolen and gates locked.

Community members gathered in a vigil against hate after the Jardin Santuario or Sanctuary Garden sign was vandalized in July 2022. - OLLIE HANCOCK
  • Ollie Hancock
  • Community members gathered in a vigil against hate after the Jardin Santuario or Sanctuary Garden sign was vandalized in July 2022.

Brenda Perez, executive director of Centro Del Pueblo, led concerned neighbors and volunteers to the Arcata City Hall. During a recent city council meeting’s public comment period, she demanded action. She said the continued attacks reflect a failure of local government and police to uphold their commitments to diverse communities. In 2017, the council declared Arcata a sanctuary city. In doing so, she said, Arcata committed to protecting its migrant communities.


“This cannot be called a sanctuary city with these hate crimes,” Perez said in public comment. “We are here to demand a stop to the hate crimes, [there’s] been more than 12, and its unsustainable, unbearable … I cannot listen to more sorries from you or the police department. I need action.”



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Thursday, June 8, 2023

UPDATE: CHP IDs Pedestrian Killed in Arcata Hit and Run, Releases More Information on Vehicle

Posted By on Thu, Jun 8, 2023 at 10:58 AM


UPDATE:

The California Highway Patrol has identified the pedestrian killed in an apparent hit and run on U.S. Highway 101 yesterday morning as Reno resident Chad Macias. He was 45.

The CHP news release also reports that further analysis of debris found at the scene indicates the vehicle believed to be involved is a silver 2015-2017 Audi A3, which likely has damage to the driver’s side and may be missing the driver’s side mirror.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact the Humboldt Area CHP office at (707) 822-5981 during business hours, (707) 268-200 after business hours or by email at [email protected].

PREVIOUS:


The California Highway Patrol is investigating an apparent hit-and-run crash on U.S. Highway 101 in Arcata that left a 45-year-old pedestrian dead.

Someone reported a male lying in the median of U.S. Highway 101 south of the Seventh Street overdressing in Arcata at 7:05 a.m. and officers responded to find a man dead of blunt force injuries. Based on a preliminary investigation, police believe he was crossing the northbound lanes of the highway around 9 p.m. last night when he was struck by a car that fled the scene.

"CHP is seeking the public's assistance in locating the driver and vehicle involved in the crash," a press release states. "It is believed the involved vehicle sustained front end damage and may be missing its right (passenger) side mirror. Anyone with information regarding the crash is urged to contact the Humboldt Area CHP office at (707) 822-5981 during business hours, or (707) 268-200 after business hours."

The deceased's identity is being withheld pending notification of his family.

See the CHP's full press release here.
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Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Sheriff's Office Identifies Wayne Adam Ford Victim After 25 Years

Posted By on Wed, Jun 7, 2023 at 6:40 PM

Kerry Ann Cummings - HCSO
  • HCSO
  • Kerry Ann Cummings
The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office has identified one of serial killer Wayne Adam Ford's victims 25 years after her dismembered body was found through advanced forensic DNA testing.

Through a partnership with the California Department of Justice and the forensic genealogy laboratory Othram Inc., the sheriff's office was able to identify the woman as Kerry Ann Cummings, who was about 25 when she went missing in 1997.

In October of that year, a duck hunter located partial human remains in Ryan Slough, north of Eureka, and additional partial remains were recovered on Clam Beach the following January. Efforts to identify both were unsuccessful, though subsequent testing identified them as having belonged to the same person.

Ford infamously turned himself into the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office main station Nov. 3, 1998, walking in with a severed breast in his pocket, and subsequently admitted to murdering several women throughout the north state, including the woman whose partial remains were found in Ryan Slough, according to a press release. Ford was subsequently convicted of four counts of murder and sentenced to death, and currently is held on San Quentin Prison's death row.


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Friday, June 2, 2023

Sheriff Says Deputies Fired 32 Times in April Shooting, Releases Video

Posted By on Fri, Jun 2, 2023 at 3:11 PM

The crash scene at Harris and Dolbeer streets. - PHOTOS BY MARK MCKENNA
  • Photos by Mark McKenna
  • The crash scene at Harris and Dolbeer streets.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has released more information — and video — from the April 18 critical incident that saw deputies shoot two suspects, leaving them in critical condition.

As required under a new state law, the sheriff’s office today released video from the investigation — including footage pulled from a nearby surveillance camera and one deputy’s body-worn camera — along with additional information about the incident. In a video discussing the shooting, Sheriff William Honsal disclosed that deputies fired a total of 32 shots at the suspects after one of them allegedly fired a single shot at the officers.

The shooting came after a report of an armed robbery at the Bayshore Mall led to a police pursuit that ended when the suspect vehicle crashed at the intersection of Harris and Dolbeer streets in Eureka, at which point the suspects — Brandon and Jesse Widmark, 27 and 18, respectively — allegedly got out of their car with rifles in hand.

Security footage included as a part of the “critical incident video” released by the sheriff’s office today doesn’t capture the shooting on video, as it occurred down the street from the camera, but it did get audio. In the video, the impact of the car crash can be heard, then approaching sirens, then what sounds like a single loud rifle shot, which is quickly followed by a volley of handgun fire. There’s then a 15-second pause in the shooting before a final quick burst of handgun shots can be heard. The body worn camera footage seems to capture that last cluster of gunshots, showing deputies approaching the scene of the crash with guns drawn, yelling “Don’t reach” repeatedly before one yells, “Hey, drop the …” and his command is cut off by a cluster of gunshots.

Honsal says in the critical incident video that Sgt. Conan Moore fired 17 shots, deputy Chad Crotty fired 14 times and deputy Luke Mathieson fired once during the incident. All officers involved have returned to duty, he said.

How many times the suspects were shot, and by which deputies, remains under investigation, Honsal said.

The Widmark brothers, both of whom were booked into the Humboldt County jail last month after spending weeks in critical condition in a local hospital, face a litany of charges in the case, including the attempted murder of a peace officer, exhibiting a firearm at a police officer, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon

Watch the full video released by the sheriff's office below:

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Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 25-to-life for Kneeland Murder

Posted By on Wed, May 24, 2023 at 6:31 PM

Austin Michael Medeiros - HCSO
  • HCSO
  • Austin Michael Medeiros
A 28-year-old Rhode Island man was sentenced today to serve 25 years to life in state prison for the murder of 28-year-old Emily Lobba in her Kneeland home last year.

Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Kaleb Cockrum sentenced Austin M. Medeiros for the first-degree murder today, and added another six years, four months to his sentence for felony evading, theft of a vehicle and other crimes, according to a press release.

Lobba was found strangled to death inside her home April 3, 2022, and Medeiros was found to have stolen her possessions before fleeing the scene. A jury convicted Medeiros in the case about a year later, on April 27.

Find the full press release from the district attorney's office copied below.


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Prominent Foster Parent Arrested in 'Lewd Acts' Investigation

Posted By on Wed, May 24, 2023 at 4:19 PM

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office arrested a prominent local foster parent yesterday on suspicion of committing lewd acts against a minor.

In response to a Journal inquiry seeking more information about the circumstances of the arrest, sheriff’s office spokesperson Samantha Karges said William Scott Peugh, 46, was arrested at 4:30 yesterday afternoon on suspicion of a violation of penal code section 288 (c)(1) as the result of an ongoing investigation. Karges said she is unable to release additional information at this time.

County spokesperson Cati Gallardo said Child Welfare Services and law enforcement are taking “the necessary steps to ensure all children in the home are in a safe environment and provided with necessary services and care." She declined to answer whether foster children were living in Peughs’ home at the time of the alleged crime or are believed to be a victim in the case.

“As with any case involving criminal allegations involving minors, the safety of the children is and will always be the county’s top priority,” Gallardo said.

Peugh and his wife, Heather, have served as foster parents since 2012, taking dozens of children into their homes, sometimes four or five at a time. The family has been featured in county videos and social media posts aimed to recruiting additional foster families locally. In 2019, the family was featured in a North Coast Journal article about an increasing local need for foster families, with Heather saying at the time that they’d taken in 31 children over the previous six years.
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