How to resolve AdBlock issue? Sheriff's detectives investigate suspicious Clearlake Oaks death
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Sheriff's officials are investigating the death of a Clearlake Oaks man that has been termed “suspicious.”
Early Friday evening, sheriff's deputies, a sergeant, a lieutenant, two investigators and evidence technicians were at the scene, located at a two-story home at the end of the cul-de-sac on Bass Lane in the Clearlake Keys area.
Crime scene tape was placed across end of the street while the investigation got under way.
“We have a dead male inside the residence,” said Lt. Steve Brooks.
“It is suspicious,” he said of the circumstances surrounding the man's death.
Shortly after 3 p.m. Northshore Fire and Cal Fire medics were dispatched to the home on the report of a possible death, based on radio reports.
Central Dispatch indicated during the initial calls that sheriff's deputies were en route, as the female caller became “highly irate” when she was asked for details by a dispatcher. Dispatch reported that there were a history of responses to the residence for disturbances.
Firefighters arriving at the scene confirmed there was one deceased individual, and termed the scene “suspicious,” with an aggressive dog and a distraught resident of the home in the room.
At the scene Friday evening, Brooks confirmed those details of the initial call.
While detectives and deputies walked the scene, a female subject sat in the back of a sheriff's patrol car.
When the group of law enforcement officials approached the car and spoke to her through the window, she became agitated and began hitting the driver's side rear window with her head and hands.
Brooks said she was in custody on “unrelated charges.” He and investigators on scene confirmed having previous contacts with the woman.
Deputies then transported her from the scene. As the patrol vehicle in which she was riding pulled away, she began rocking back and forth, and appeared to be kicking the seats in front of her.
At about 6:30 p.m., investigators and crime scene technicians were waiting to process the scene pending the signing of a search warrant by a judge, Brooks said. He expected the warrant to be delivered at any time.
Sgt. John Gregore said he and deputies initially had entered the home to secure the scene and make sure there was no one else inside.
He said they also went to the home next door and secured it.
While waiting for the warrant, detectives spoke to a man who was staying at the home of a relative a few doors down from the home where the death occurred.
Separately, that individual told Lake County News he was aware of one male and one female living at the residence, and had spoken to them and visited the home in recent days.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
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Sheriff's office seeks recruits for volunteer program
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office is now actively recruiting community members to become sheriff’s volunteers.
The agency said this week that it is proud to be associated with a cadre of fine residents who comprise the volunteer program.
The program began in 1990 to reduce an increasing workload on clerical and other employees.
These active community members donate their time in all areas of sheriff's office operations.
Volunteers work varied assignments, allowing employees to perform law enforcement functions.
The volunteers assist in the county jails, sheriff's substations, and the patrol and administrative offices in Lakeport.
Volunteers also transport departmental vehicles for scheduled maintenance, and deliver mail and materials to local government offices throughout the county.
The volunteers also handle programs that provide service directly to the communities.
Vacation checks are handled by the volunteers. When a local resident is away from home for an extended period, at their request, volunteers check the residence for security.
While helping to deter burglary or theft, this service is not a guarantee that the home will be secure while the owner is absent. This service is performed based on the availability of volunteers and vehicles.
The Sheriff’s Volunteer Program is composed of 30 dedicated citizens. There is no age limit for the spirit of dedication and service to the community.
If you would like to volunteer some of your time or talents to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, please contact Sgt. Gavin Wells at 707-262-4200 or download an application at http://www.lakesheriff.com/ServicesPrograms/Volunteer_Program.htm .
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Vehicle, deceased woman found; sheriff's office confirms vehicle was missing woman's
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The search for a local veterinarian who disappeared last week appears to have ended, with the discovery of her vehicle and a woman's body near Middletown early Wednesday.
Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said authorities have not yet been able to positively identify the body of the woman that was found, but the license plate of the vehicle confirmed that it belonged to 45-year-old Helen Sharp of Hidden Valley Lake.
Messages from friends and family posted on a social media support page dedicated to bringing Sharp home indicated they had been notified that the body was Sharp's.
At 6:30 a.m. Wednesday a property owner contacted Central Dispatch to report he had located a deceased female inside a vehicle on his property, which Brooks said is located in a remote area off of Jerusalem Grade in Middletown.
Brooks said the property owner had gone out hunting early Wednesday when he came upon the gray Toyota 4Runner belonging to Sharp, that she had last been seen in on June 10 after leaving a Middletown-area auto body shop.
Earlier on the day she had disappeared, Sharp had told her employer – Dr. Debi Sally at Clearlake Veterinary Clinic in Clearlake – to cancel her appointments, as Lake County News has reported. Sally said Sharp had been upset about “a variety of things” before her disappearance.
That afternoon, Sharp went to the body shop to pick up the Toyota, which had front-end damage from Sharp hitting a stop sign at Hartmann Road and Highway 29 on June 6. Although the vehicle hadn't been repaired, she left with it anyway, the shop's manager said.
Family told sheriff's detectives that Sharp had an appointment in Calistoga on June 10 that she didn't make, Brooks said.
Her boyfriend had reported her missing sometime late on the afternoon or early evening of June 11, Brooks said, and since then family and friends have circulated fliers and even searched area roads attempting to find her.
Early Wednesday, deputies responded to the location where the property owner had found the vehicle, with the body of a female inside, Brooks said.
He said the deputies noticed the vehicle was a Toyota 4Runner, which matched the description of the vehicle belonging to Sharp.
Central Dispatch ran the license plate through the computer system and advised that Helen Sharp was the vehicle's registered owner, Brooks said.
The deputies were unable to positively identify the individual located inside the vehicle, according to Brooks.
He said the investigation is ongoing and deputies are following up on all possible leads.
The area's rugged terrain made it difficult for authorities and a tow truck to make it to where the vehicle was found, Brooks said.
Deputies remained at the scene on Wednesday afternoon. “They’ve been out there since 6:30 this morning,” Brooks said.
Brooks said an autopsy is being scheduled to positively identify the individual and determine the exact cause of death.
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Clearlake Police officers honored for service
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Thursday new members of the Clearlake Police Department were introduced to the Clearlake City Council and current officers were commended for their services to the community.
Lt. Tim Celli made the presentations at the start of the council's regular meeting as several members of the department – including K9 Officer Harley – looked on.
Celli began by introducing the agency's two newest officers – Leonardo Flores, who came from the Fresno area and started his job in late May, and Matt Huot from Rohnert Park, who started on June 8.
Then it was time to award commendations to three of the department's officers and a K9.
First up was Det. Ryan Peterson, who has become known for his considerable abilities in solving difficult cases.
However, it wasn't Peterson's work for crime solving that was honored this time – but his ability for problem solving.
Peterson met and interviewed at the Lake County Jail a female inmate who was battling drug addiction, Celli said.
After the woman was released from jail several months early for good behavior, she needed assistance in getting into a rehabilitation program. “She wanted to change her life,” Celli said.
Because of her early release, a space wasn't available for her. She also didn't have any friends locally. So in May she reached out to Peterson, who she remembered from the interview, Celli said.
Peterson went to work, contacting several agencies before finding a rehab program that would take her. He then worked with a local pastor to secure a ride for her to the facility, set up overnight accommodations for her and even contributed monetarily to the effort to get her help, Celli said.
Celli called Peterson's efforts to help someone he barely knew but who came to him for help when she had nowhere else to turn “above and beyond” and “outstanding.”
“I just think it's awesome that those folks know they can count on law enforcement,” Celli said.
He added that he thought it was great that the woman was willing to reach out to law enforcement for help.
Next, Celli paid tribute to officers Trevor Franklin and Mike Ray, and Ray's K9 partner, Harley.
Franklin, Ray and Harley were part of a successful April 8 search for a missing Clearlake girl, whose life they saved, Celli said.
On that evening, Franklin received a report that an 11-year-old girl had left her home hours earlier, according to Celli.
That night, shortly before 9 p.m., Felicia Vance went to the Clearlake Police Department to report that her daughter, CeNedra, had walked away from her friend's house on 32nd Avenue about four and a half hours earlier, with family searching unsuccessfully for her, as Lake County News has reported.
Celli said Franklin immediately began following up on the case, developing information about a plausible location while also sorting through information that turned out not to be relevant to the case.
The leads Franklin developed eventually led him to a home on Second Street, which is on the other side of town, where a resident admitted to seeing the girl that night.
Franklin determined that the search needed to focus on that area, and he coordinated with Ray to assist in the search. Celli said they found a clue – a single shoe print – that to them further confirmed that the girl had been in that area.
They began to check an adjacent wooded area. Harley led them to a path and alerted to an overturned, abandoned boat, Celli said.
It was around 11 p.m. that the officers found the girl under the boat. Celli said she was unresponsive and apparently suffering from hypothermia.
After checking the girl's vital signs and realizing the severity of the situation, Franklin scooped the child up in his arms and carried her out to an area where he rendered first aid and waited for medical personnel, according to Celli.
Celli said the girl later was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake and treated before being returned to her family.
“Outstanding job,” he said before handing Franklin his commendation.
Likewise, Ray and Harley received a commendation for their efforts.
Celli explained that once the officers found the girl's shoe print, Ray decided to have Harley try to track the child.
“Harley, being an apprehension K9, would not generally be used in a search and rescue operation,” said Celli. However Ray thought it would be beneficial. “This was a decision that would pay off with lifesaving results.”
Shortly after starting the track, Harley led them through the wooded area to the boat and alerted, Celli said.
“Had it not been for your outstanding teamwork with both Officer Franklin and your K9 partner, this situation would have surely ended in tragedy,” said Celli, before handing Ray the commendation for he and his K9 partner.
“Way to go, Harley,” someone called from the audience.
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Sheriff's office releases photo of missing woman's vehicle
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities have released a picture of a missing local veterinarian's vehicle, which she was last seen driving this week.
Officials are seeking leads to the whereabouts of 45-year-old Dr. Helen Sharp of Hidden Valley Lake, whose boyfriend reported her missing on Friday, Sheriff Brian Martin told Lake County News.
Sharp was last seen earlier this week in her gray Toyota 4Runner, the sheriff's office reported.
According to friends, Sharp and her Toyota had been involved in a wreck on Tuesday in the area of Highway 29 and Hartmann Road near Hidden Valley Lake. The damaged vehicle is shown in the picture above.
Though officials said the vehicle was not believed to have been operable, the sheriff's office received reports that Sharp may have been in Middletown in the vehicle on Wednesday. That was the last reported sighting of her.
In addition to the vehicle's front-end damage, it can be identified by California license plate 5DTY013, the sheriff's office reported.
Sharp has worked as a veterinarian at Clearlake Veterinary Clinic in Clearlake since 2005, according to the clinic's Web site.
She is described as being 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 190 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes.
If you have information about the vehicle or Sharp, call the Lake County Sheriff's Office at 707-263-2690.
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