Back-to-Back Homicides at Remote Mendocino Cannabis Sites Under Investigation
Two unrelated homicide investigations are unfolding in Mendocino County, each linked to separate cannabis grow operations in remote areas. Authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information that may help solve these cases. Lauren Schmitt…
MCSO Press Releases:
COVELO CASE:
On Wednesday 05/14/2025 at approximately 9:01 P.M., Deputies with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a 911 hang-up in the area north of Covelo, CA.
The 911 caller was an unidentified male who advised he needed help for a friend and later disconnected. Utilizing the systems and technology from the Sheriff’s Office Communications Center, the dispatcher was able to trace the 911 call to the 82000 block of Mina Road in Covelo, CA.
Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of the 911 hang-up near Covelo and overheard radio traffic of a Deputy in Ukiah being dispatched to the Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Emergency Room for an adult-male subject with possible gunshot wounds. This information was received on 05/14/2025 at approximately 10:55 P.M.
Deputies extensively checked the area of Mina Road for the 911 hang-up. While on Mina Road, Deputies were contacted by subjects in a vehicle who reported an unresponsive male was located a short distance away on Hulls Valley Road.
Deputies responded to the area of Hulls Valley Road, approximately 1 mile from the intersection with Mina Road, and located an unresponsive adult male on the roadway near 2 vehicles that were unoccupied along the road. This area was determined to be the 23000 block of Hulls Valley Road.
Deputies checked the unresponsive adult male and determined he was deceased from apparent gunshot wounds at 00:42 A.M. on 05/15/2025. There were multiple firearms located in the vicinity of the decedent and expended cartridge casings on the ground. There was also blood evidence located along the ground and Deputies followed the blood trail for approximately ¼ mile where they located a large marijuana grow with hoop houses and several camp trailers.
As Deputies continued to investigate the apparent homicide in Covelo, other Deputies responded to the Emergency Room in Ukiah to further investigate the subject with gunshot wounds who was receiving medical treatment. Deputies interviewed the adult male with gunshot wounds and the subject who transported him to the hospital. Based on these interviews, Deputies determined this investigation was related to the shooting incident and deceased subject located by Sheriff’s Office personnel on Hulls Valley Road. Due to the subject’s significant injuries, the adult male with gunshot wounds at the Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Emergency Room was transported to an out-of-county hospital for further medical treatment.
Sheriff’s Office Detectives were contacted and briefed on both incidents as they were determined to be related. Detectives prepared a search warrant for the marijuana grow property on Hulls Valley Road and the shooting scene along Hulls Valley Road. Additional Sheriff’s Office personnel and Investigators with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office were requested to respond to Covelo and assist with the investigation.
Deputies canvassed the area of Mina Road and Hulls Valley Road in an attempt to find possible witnesses or other involved subjects. On 05/15/2025 at approximately 8:15 A.M., a Deputy located another adult male subject on Hulls Valley Road who was approximately 4 miles from the intersection with Mina Road. The adult male had numerous apparent gunshot wounds and required emergency medical treatment. An air ambulance was requested, and the adult male was airlifted to a different out-of-county hospital for emergency medical treatment. Basic statements from the subject indicated he suffered gunshot wounds during the same shooting incident on Hulls Valley Road.
The two subjects with gunshot wounds who were transported to different out-of-county hospitals are in stable condition and have been interviewed regarding this ongoing homicide investigation.
Attempts are being made to positively identify the adult male decedent located on Hulls Valley Road. Once the decedent has been identified and their legal next-of-kin has been notified of their death, additional information can be released regarding their identity. A post-mortem examination is being scheduled for the decedent and the official cause and manner of death will not be released until the pathologist completes their examination and reports.
During this investigation, Deputies uncovered evidence which is indicative of illegal marijuana cultivation and sales under the control of a drug trafficking organization. Additional information related to the suspected drug trafficking organization will not be released to maintain the integrity of this investigation.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is requested to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 707-463-4086 (option 1). Information can also be provided anonymously by calling the non-emergency tip-line at 707-234-2100.
BELL SPRINGS/ISLAND MOUNTAIN CASE:
On Thursday 05/15/2025 at approximately 12:50 P.M., a subject in Texas who owns a property in Mendocino County contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report an incident that reportedly occurred at a property she owns on Bell Springs Road.
The property owner received second-hand information earlier in the week about her property worker who was living and working at the remote property in the 68000 block of Bell Springs Road in Piercy, CA (Island Mountain Area).
The property owner learned that her worker was either in trouble or possibly murdered at the property. Nobody involved in this incident was able to reach the adult-male worker and the last known contact with the subject living on the property on Bell Springs Road was approximately 05/05/2025.
The property owner drove for approximately two days from Texas to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office in Ukiah to report this incident. Sheriff’s Office deputies met with the property owner, who was requesting an escort to the remote property on Bell Springs Road to conduct a welfare check on her worker who she was unable to contact.
Personnel from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office obtained further information from the property owner, who advised that the property is extremely difficult to access and behind multiple locked gates so she agreed to respond and assist deputies in accessing the parcel.
It took multiple hours to respond to the property and upon arrival, Sheriff’s Office personnel searched the over 100-acre parcel for multiple hours. The property appeared to be utilized for marijuana cultivation and deputies extensively searched the large property. As night-time hours approached, Sheriff’s Office personnel continued searching the area down the hill from the residence.
Upon further searching and investigating the area down the hill from the residence, Sheriff’s Office personnel located apparent human remains. It appeared the human remains were partially concealed with loose debris and foliage in an attempt to hide the decedent.
Due to the rapidly-approaching darkness conditions, it was decided that numerous Sheriff’s Office personnel would remain overnight at the property while additional resources were requested to assist in the recovery of the remains and conduct further searching of the large property on Friday 05/16/2025.
Investigators and deputies with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue personnel from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and law enforcement personnel from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office responded to the property during the early-morning hours of 05/16/2025 to continue searching and recover the human remains.
During recovery efforts, the decedent was determined to be an adult male but positive identification was not possible due to the advanced decomposition and condition of the remains. The remains are consistent with the general description, gender, and ethnicity of the missing property worker, but the decedent has not been positively identified at this point of the investigation.
Due to the circumstances learned during this case and the suspicious nature of the human remains recovered during this incident, this case is being investigated as a homicide and additional information will be released as it becomes available. A post-mortem examination is being scheduled for the human remains recovered during this investigation.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is requested to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 707-463-4086 (option 1). Information can also be provided anonymously by calling the non-emergency tip-line at 707-234-2100.
