The former FBI agent who had been consulting on the investigation into the homicide of David Josiah Lawson said his decision to step away from the case Monday was the result of his belief that the Arcata Police Department wasn’t being forthright with him or following his recommendations. Arcata City Manager Karen Diemer doesn’t dispute […]
David Josiah Lawson
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Arcata Chief Abruptly Resigns Amid Growing Frustrations and the Looming Anniversary of an HSU Student’s Slaying
Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman abruptly resigned his post April 10, sending a departmentwide email saying he felt the timing was right “not only for [him] but for the department.” He offered no reason for his sudden departure, which was effective immediately. However, the Journal has learned that Chapman’s resignation followed that of a consultant […]
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Students Launch Targeted #JusticeforJosiah Social Media Campaign
They sat in a group in the small living room of an Arcata apartment one afternoon in late March, scattered across a couch and the floor. They were all in their early 20s, students at either College of the Redwoods or Humboldt State University. With laptops and cellphones at their hands, they tapped away in […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Charmaine Lawson: ‘Why Doesn’t My Son’s Life Matter Enough?’
It’s been a year since my son, David Josiah Lawson, was senselessly murdered and I’m still waiting for justice. His murderer or murderers are still walking free and this tragedy has sent me through a whirlwind of emotions. I’m sometimes left numb to what has happened but my fight for DJ’s justice has kept me […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
We Are Humboldt — All of Us
We see it overtly in online comments sections, the sentiment that “if they don’t like it here, they should leave.” And we see it subtly in things like the recently minted Facebook page pushing for a public vote on the fate of President McKinley’s statue in the Arcata Plaza, which the city council voted to […]
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UDPATE: Police Chief’s Resignation Follows that of Consultant on Lawson Case
2nd UPDATE: In response to a spate of media inquiries, Arcata City Manager Karen Diemer released a bit more information this afternoon about Police Chief Tom Chapman’s abrupt resignation, including that the department’s lieutenants will trade off as acting chief until an interim is appointed. Diemer also said Chapman’s decision to resign “does not stem […]
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(UPDATED WITH SLIDESHOW) #JusticeforJosiah: Students Block Admin Building, Release Demands
A group of about a dozen Humboldt State University students blocked the entrance to the administration building this morning and released a list of demands during a demonstration to call attention to the unsolved killing of David Josiah Lawson. The demonstration came as a part of 12 days of action leading up to the anniversary […]
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‘Too Far to Turn Back:’ Arcata Continues Community Dialogue on Race
People of color don’t feel safe in Humboldt County. That was the message reiterated over and over by speakers at Thursday night’s Community Dialogue on Race at Arcata’s D Street Neighborhood Center. The forum, attended by almost 100 community members, came as part of a series of dialogues and updates following the slaying of Humboldt […]
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Zoellner Takes First Step Toward Suing Arcata for Handling of Lawson Case
Kyle Zoellner, a McKinleyville man who remains the sole suspect named in the April stabbing death of Humboldt State University student David Josiah Lawson, has filed an initial claim for money or damages against the city of Arcata. Zoellner was released after a pre-trial hearing in May, with Judge Dale Reinholtsen determining there was insufficient evidence […]
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APD Touts Progress, Urges Patience in Lawson Investigation
Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman is asking for patience as his department continues to investigate the killing of of a Humboldt State University student last April. “It’s frustrating for people that nobody’s in custody and it seems like nothing’s happening, but that’s far from the truth,” Chapman says. “A lot of things have happened in […]
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Officials Announce Lawson Reward, Face Charging ‘Conundrum’
The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever fatally stabbed David Josiah Lawson on April 15 has swollen to $21,000, the city of Arcata recently announced. Meanwhile, Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman said the investigation remains ongoing some five weeks after Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Dale Reinholtsen dismissed a murder […]
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Lawson’s Mom Announces $10K Reward, Issues Emotional Plea to Witnesses
The mother of slain Humboldt State University sophomore David Josiah Lawson stood on the campus quad yesterday afternoon and announced a $10,000 award for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her son’s killer and issued an impassioned plea for witnesses to come forward. Flanked by family, Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman and a […]