Category Archives: Crime

Articles, Crescent City, Crime

Suspects In Safeway Shopping Center Shooting Arrested in Citrus Heights

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Thumbnail photo: Russell Walters Jr. and Russell Walters Sr. were arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide in connection with a May 28 shooting near Safeway. | Photo courtesy of CCPD.

The 17-year-old suspect in last week’s shooting at Jedediah Smith Shopping Center, along with his father, are in custody in Citrus Heights, Crescent City Police Chief Richard Griffin told Redwood Voice Community News on Sunday.

Citrus Heights police arrested Russell Walters Jr. and Russell Walters Sr. after serving a search warrant at a home just before 5 p.m. Sunday, Griffin said. The two attempted to flee out a backdoor, but were taken into custody. 

Officers also identified a female subject who drove them to the Sacramento area and will likely ask for accessory charges to be filed against her, Griffin said. 

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Articles, Community News, Crime

CCPD Still Searching For Shooting Suspects, Arrest A Third

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Russell Walters Jr. (left) and Russell Walters Sr. (right) | Courtesy CCPD

Crescent City police are still searching for 17-year-old Russell Walters Jr. and his father Russell Walter Sr., 65, in connection with last week’s shooting at the Jedediah Smith Shopping Center.

Police have also arrested a third person, 32-year-old Joshua Roberts, who they say helped the two suspects evade police, Crescent City Police Chief Richard Griffin told Redwood Voice Community News on Monday. 

“We have evidence of him picking [Walters Jr. and Sr.] up after the shooting and driving away from the house,” Griffin said. “He’s on parole and a search was done and that’s where the firearms, an AR-15 and semiautomatic handgun were located with ammo and he was arrested [on suspicion of] aiding and abetting.”

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Alerts, Articles, Crescent City, Crime

CCPD Investigating Shooting At Safeway Parking Lot; One Victim Hospitalized

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Updated at 10:18 p.m. to correct the suspects name.

Update May 29 at 1:00PM

CCPD has arrested Joshua Roberts in connection with the investigation regarding the shooting Wednesday evening. Officers gathered evidence that Roberts picked up the two individuals CCPD is searching for and drove them out of Crescent City. Officers contacted Roberts,
who was on parole, and conducted a search of his vehicle. During the search an AR15, semi-automatic shotgun, and several hundred rounds of ammunition were located.

Roberts is currently being held at the Del Norte County Jail, and there are active arrest warrants for Russell Walters, Sr. and Russell Walters, Jr. in connection with the shooting Wednesday evening.

Del Norte Unified School District Director of Communications Michael Hawkins stated that there is an increased police presence surrounding Del Norte schools at this time, including patrols. Del Norte High School has elected to undergo further precautions including entrance monitoring and locking its classroom doors. As of 11:50 AM there have been no apparent threats made to Del Norte County schools, Hawkins told Redwood Voice Community News.

Update at 10:13 p.m.

Crescent City police are seeking the public’s help in finding Russell Walters Jr., the suspect involved in a shooting that took place at Safeway earlier this evening.

Walters will be charged with attempted homicide, Crescent City Police Chief Richard Griffin said. CCPD is working with the Del Norte County District Attorney to obtain an arrest warrant in case the suspect leaves the area, Griffin said.

According to the police chief, Walters was seen leaving the area as a passenger in a black Chevrolet Traverse. The vehicle has a disabled license plate, number EP007. Griffin said his department is actively working with the DA’s office and the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office.

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Articles, Community News, Crime

Del Norte County’s Assistant CAO Arrested On DUI, Hit & Run Charges

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(Updated at 4:08 p.m. Monday to clarify the location of the collision.)

Del Norte County’s assistant county administrative officer has been charged with felony hit and run and with driving under the influence in connection with a two-vehicle collision that took place Saturday evening.

Randy Hooper, 44, was booked into the Del Norte County Jail and released on $225,000 bond, according to the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Portal. According to the California Highway Patrol’s public information officer, Pete Gonzalez, the collision took place on Sand Mine Road just east of U.S. 101 near Sand Mine Road and U.S. 101 at about 10 p.m. Saturday.

The other party in the incident sustained possible minor injuries, Gonzalez told Redwood Voice Community News on Monday. Though the report on the incident is not yet complete, Gonzalez said it didn’t appear that either party had passengers in their vehicles. 

Gonzalez was unable to say how far from the scene of the accident officers detained Hooper. According to the DNSO’s Public Information Portal, the sheriff’s office was the arresting agency.

Articles, Community News, Crescent City, Crime, Law

DNSO Seeks Person Of Interest Connected With Suspected Arson

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office. Above: The DNSO is asking residents in the vicinity of the 1400 block of West Macken for assistance in seeking a person-of-interest connected with a suspected arson.

The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office is seeking a person-of-interest connected with a suspected arson that took place at a home on the 1400 block of West Macken Avenue in Crescent City at about noon Wednesday.

The fire has rendered the home uninhabitable, Undersheriff Devon Perry told Redwood Voice Community News on Thursday. The DNSO is currently building a case and is seeking information about an individual who was wearing dark colored clothing and was seen on video surveillance leaving the area, though Perry said he was unable to release further details about the subject.

“A neighbor saw smoke coming out from underneath the residence, contacted the tenant of that residence and discovered there was a fire going on underneath,” Perry said. “The fire department was contacted and upon arrival requested deputy assistance for suspected arson.”

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Articles, Community News, Crime

Man Convicted of Second-Degree Murder, In Connection With Deputy’s Death

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Thumbnail photo: Deanna Esmaeel (left) is sworn in as a Del Norte County Sheriff’s deputy by then-sheriff Erik Apperson. | Photo courtesy of the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office.

Davies

A 55-year-old man faces 15-years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder earlier this month in connection with the death of Del Norte County Deputy Deanna Esmaeel.

Edward Patrick Davies was also found to be sane when he killed Esmaeel, District Attorney Katherine Micks told Redwood Voice Community News on Monday. The jury reached a verdict in the case on March 6 and ruled on Davies’ insanity defense on March 10, she said.

Esmaeel was found dead at her North Bank Road home the morning of Oct. 12, 2023. One of her colleagues at the sheriff’s office was sent to investigate when she didn’t show up for work and wasn’t answering phone calls.

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