The Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office has filed an eight-count criminal complaint against Fortuna Union High School teacher Gary Landergen, charging him with four felonies and four misdemeanors based on allegations that he sexually assaulted three 15-year-old girls over a four-day span this year. Landergen, who teaches math and coaches athletics at Fortuna High School, […]
Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office
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Guilty Plea Entered in Bear River Triple Murder Case
The 19-year-old Loleta man who fatally shot three people — including a 16-year-old girl — at a home on the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria Reservation in February pleaded guilty today to three counts of first degree murder in a plea deal. Mauricio Johnson, who was 18 when the crime was committed, will […]
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McKinleyville Man Receives Suspended Sentence in Fatal Stabbing
A Humboldt County judge handed a McKinleyville resident a suspended sentence of seven years today for 2019 fatal stabbing of a Rohnert Park man outside of his home in an altercation that occurred after he’d called 911 to report that someone had cut his power and was trying to break into his house. Brian Jon […]
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Jury Classifies Scott Eden a Sexually Violent Predator
Today a Humboldt County jury classified Scott Dean Eden, who spent time in and out of prison for two different sexually motivated crimes, as a sexually violent predator under the Sexually Violent Predator Act. According to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s press release, in 1990 Eden was found guilty of abducting a woman from a […]
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Man Found Guilty in Skateboard Attack Death of Good Samaritan
A Humboldt County jury today found a man guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Bernhard “Ben” Bertain, who died on Christmas in 2018, three days after interceding in an altercation at the Burre Center in Eureka. Bertain, 58, was struck several times with a skateboard by Jason Ryan Barnes, now 48, while coming […]
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Judge Sentences Teen in 2019 Fatal Drug Shooting
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge John Feeney sentenced Logan Rain Brewer-Hearst to serve 15 years yesterday in the California Division of Juvenile Justice for the involuntary manslaughter of Taevonne Latimer, using a firearm and assault. Brewer-Hearst will serve the sentence in a facility that provides education and trauma-informed treatment to youthful offenders up to the […]
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Plea Deals Reached in 2014 Gang Stabbing of 14 Year Old
Three gang members facing murder charges stemming from the Dec. 16, 2014 stabbing death of a 14 year old in Eureka have reached plea deals with prosecutors. According to a press release from the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Joe Olivo Jr., Joe Olivo III and Mario Nunez all pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges, admitting […]
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UPDATE: Judge Denies Placement of Convicted Sex Offender in Freshwater
UPDATE: The Times-Standard is reporting that, in the face of a tremendous outpouring of neighborhood concern, Judge John Feeney has denied the proposed placement of Joshua Cooley in a Freshwater neighborhood. Feeney set an Oct. 23 hearing to review Cooley’s placement status. PREVIOUSLY: A Humboldt County Superior Court judge is scheduled to decide Thursday morning […]
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Orr Pleads in Shooting of Phillipsville Woman
A 60-year-old Southern Humboldt man faces 14 years in state prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter stemming from the April 25, 2015, killing of a woman in Phillipsville. According to a press release from the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Earl Orr pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter and using a firearm to cause […]
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Two Double-Murder Trials Begin
For the first time in recent memory, the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office is in the process of simultaneously trying separate double-murder cases. Prosecutors gave opening arguments Sept. 24 in the case against Jason Michael Arreaga, the 30-year-old Lucerne man with a violent past who stands accused of gunning down Harley Hammers and Angel Tully […]
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Rio Dell Cop Arrested on DV, Gun Charges
Humboldt County District Attorney investigators arrested a Rio Dell police officer today on suspicion of domestic violence. Kevin Harralson, a six-year veteran of the force, was taken into custody without incident on two counts of battery on a cohabitant and one count of exhibiting a firearm (both misdemeanors) stemming from alleged incidents in August and […]
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Former Sheriff’s Sgt. Charged with On-Duty Rape
A former Humboldt County Sheriff’s sergeant has been charged with committing rape and sexual battery while on duty last year. Jason Scott Daniels, 41, was arrested Oct. 18, 2013 by investigators with the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office based on allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman while detaining her. Thursday, the DA’s Office filed […]