UPDATE: The Fortuna Police Department has identified the deceased as 50-year-old Steve Sisson and 81-year-old Jerry Sisson. No motive has yet been identified in the case. PREVIOUSLY: The Fortuna Police Department is investigating what it believes to be a murder-suicide that claimed the lives of a father and his son. Police were called to a […]
Crime
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Volunteer Fire Captain Killed in Fortuna Shooting
The Fortuna Police Department today identified the victim of yesterday’s fatal shooting as Timothy Thomas Smith, a Fortuna resident and captain with the city’s volunteer fire department. He was 42. According to a police department release, an autopsy has been scheduled for later this week. “He has set the example for the department’s motto ‘Always […]
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UPDATE: Court Document Indicates Kitchen was ‘Extremely Intoxicated’
2nd UPDATE: Marcia “Marci” Kitchen pleaded not guilty to both charges facing her this afternoon and denied all special allegations during a brief arraignment. She’s next scheduled to appear in court Sept. 29, with a hearing set Oct. 6 to determine if there is enough evidence to hold her to stand trial in the case. […]
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Hoopa Killing Leaves County on Pace for Record 23 Homicides
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has launched a homicide investigation after a fight in Hoopa turned deadly Friday night, meaning the county has matched a grisly, 30-year-old record with more than three months remaining in the year. Deputies were called to a residence on Shoemaker Road at about 9 p.m. Friday to a report of […]
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Pride Parades in the Face of Violence, Mounting Tensions
Humboldt Pride got underway in Halvorsen Park this morning but a shadow of violence hung over the event. “Our hearts are heavy after hearing of the violent acts against members of our community,” a post on the Humboldt Pride Facebook page read. “In light of tehse events, we have increased security at (today’s) parade and […]
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Prelim Set in Infanticide Case
The mother of a baby girl who died after being taken to Mad River Hospital with what police described as severe skull fractures remains in jail on $1 million bail after pleading not guilty to causing the injuries that led to her daughter’s death. District Attorney Maggie Fleming said in an email to the Journal […]
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CHP to Hand Off Fortuna Hit and Run Case to DA ‘Soon’
Two months after two 14-year-old girls were killed in a single-car hit and run crash in Fortuna, the California Highway Patrol is finalizing its report for the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office to weigh filing criminal charges in the case. Officer Cy May said the preliminary report is finished and currently being reviewed by CHP […]
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DA: CHP Officer Acted in Self-Defense
A District Attorney’s Office review found a California Highway Patrol officer acted in self-defense when he fatally shot a man after a routine traffic stop turned into an exchange of gunfire on a Eureka street last November. In a news release today, District Attorney Maggie Fleming said she has spoken with the family of Killian […]
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Three Homicide Victims over Weekend
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating three homicide cases this week after two men were discovered dead at a large marijuana grow operation near Hyampom and an August robbery victim died of his gunshot wounds over the holiday weekend. Deputies were called out to the Hyampom scene by the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office on […]
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Pedestrian Killed in Alleged DUI Crash
A 24-year-old Arcata man is behind bars after an alleged DUI accident left a pedestrian dead yesterday evening. According to Arcata police, officers responded to a report of the crash around 7:15 p.m. and arrived at 14th and H streets to find a 55-year-old man dying in the street. The vehicle allegedly involved in the […]
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Arcata Woman Arrested for Assault, Death of Child
Arcata police arrested Ewa Misztal, a 28-year-old Polish national, for the death and alleged assault of her 2-month-old daughter. According to Arcata Police Sgt. Todd Dockweiler, officers responded to a call of an “unresponsive child” on the 400 block of Union Street at around 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 27. “The child was transported to Mad […]
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Charges Dismissed Against Local Nurse in Elder Abuse Case
The California Attorney General’s Office has confirmed that on Tuesday, Aug. 30 Judge Timothy Cissna dismissed charges of elder abuse against William Clawson, a registered nurse, in a preliminary hearing. Clawson’s co-defendant, Mia Bressler, pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge the day prior and was sentenced to three years of probation and 200 hours of […]