Police have released the name of the man who died in custody on April 2. According to previous reports, Jeremy Edward Jenkins, 33, died from an unspecified medical emergency after being taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Officers said he “had ingested a substantial amount of methamphetamine.” Jenkins was a frequent name on the EPD’s arrest […]
Crime
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New Trial Denied, Sentencing Scheduled for Littlefield
A Humboldt County Superior Court judge denied Timothy Floyd Littlefield’s motion for a new trial yesterday, leaving the McKinleyville man facing eight life sentences after his 2013 convictions on 11 child molestation charges. In December, the California First District Court of Appeals found Humboldt County Superior Court Judge John Feeney abused his discretion in granting […]
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Name Released of Deceased SoHum Man Dumped in Hospital Driveway
Christopher Duke, 55, was probably already deceased when parties unknown unloaded his body into the shadows at the end of the driveway of Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville. “The upper part of the body was wrapped in a sheet, including the face,” says Kent Scown, the hospital’s chief operating officer. “It is an odd […]
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Whitethorn Woman Faces 10-Year Prison Term for Environmentally Destructive Grow
A Whitethorn woman has pleaded guilty to charges of depredation against the property of the United States, admitting to doing more than $100,000 worth of environmental damage to federal lands as a part of her marijuana cultivation operation. Melinda Van Horne entered the plea Wednesday, according to a press release, and is free on bond […]
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Manslaughter Arrest Made in September Death
The Eureka Police Department has arrested a 24-year-old on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter for the September death of a local homeless man, Terry Lee Thomas. Thomas, 63, was found bloodied and unresponsive shortly after 8 p.m. on Sept. 8 in the parking lot of the Courthouse Market in the 900 block of Fourth Street. He […]
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Mills Mulls Prison Reform With Gov. Brown, Other Chiefs
Eureka Police Department Chief Andy Mills and police chiefs from around the state met with Governor Jerry Brown on Thursday, March 17 at the 2016 California Police Chiefs Association Symposium to discuss Brown’s November ballot initiative, which would ostensibly streamline the early release of nonviolent offenders from prison. The proposal — allowing corrections officials to […]
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Yurok Tribal Chair Resigns in the Shadow of Old Murder Case
Yurok Tribal Chair James Dunlap resigned today, as a dark period from his past bubbled into public view. Early in the day, social media reports began to surface that Dunlap — elected to chair the tribe last year — had fatally stabbed his 3-month-old daughter in San Mateo back in 1988. Within hours, a press […]
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Video Captures Failed Armed Robbery
A McKinleyville man was arrested last night after citizens detained him during an attempted robbery of a liquor store on Eureka’s Fifth Street and the whole exchange was captured on the above surveillance video. See the full press release from Eureka Police Department below. From EPD: On 03/14/16 at about 9:37 p.m., officers responded to […]
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UPDATE: Suspect in Hoopa Stabbing Death Arrested
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s SWAT team apprehended murder suspect Gearold Sotolongo at a Hoopa residence this morning, according to a press release. Sotolongo was wanted in connection with the Feb. 13 killing of Hoopa and Weitchpec resident Rodger Allen Yale. From the Sheriff’s Office: On Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at approximately 9:03 a.m. the Humboldt […]
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Run, Hide, Fight: EPD Prepares Residents for Active Shooter
“Don’t ever say it won’t happen here,” said Eureka Police Capt. Brian Stephens, who led a training on active shooter situations to a packed audience at the Sequoia Conference Center on Thursday afternoon. The presentation, which included several training videos and a demonstration with volunteers from the Eureka Boys and Girls Club, had practical advice […]
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‘A Wake of Destruction:’ Warren’s Probation Report Sheds New Light on Cruz Waiver
By the time a Humboldt County Superior Court judge agreed to release Jason Anthony Warren from jail on Aug. 24, 2012 to allow him to get his affairs in order prior to being sentenced to a six-year state prison bid for illegally possessing a firearm, the then 27-year-old Warren had already amassed a criminal record […]
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DA: No Charges in Fatal Hoopa Officer-Involved Shooting
Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Fleming announced today that no criminal charges will be filed against Hoopa Tribal Police Sgt. Seth Ruiz stemming from his fatal Sept. 4 shooting of an armed suspect near Weitchpec. In a press release, Fleming stated that she reviewed all evidence in the case, including the statements of three civilian […]