How to resolve AdBlock issue? UPDATE: Police arrest suspects in Clearlake homicide
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Two Clearlake men have been arrested for their alleged participation in a Sunday afternoon triple shooting that left one of the victims dead.
Joshua Beavers, 24, and Orlando Esquivel Sr., 48, were arrested shortly before 5 p.m. in connection with the homicide, according to Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen.
Clausen reported that at approximately 12:53 p.m., officers were dispatched to a possible shooting near the intersection of Gardner Avenue and 19th Avenue.
Officers arrived and located three victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Lake County Fire personnel pronounced one male subject deceased at the scene, Clausen said.
Sgt. Nick Bennett said a female shooting victim who had been grazed in the side by a bullet was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake and released a short time later.
The third victim, a male who sustained a gunshot wound to the elbow, was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, according to Bennett.
Police said the names of the three victims are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
A confidential “be on the lookout” was issued to surrounding law enforcement agencies with possible suspect and suspect vehicle information, Clausen said.
Using leads on the suspects' whereabouts, police located the suspect vehicle – a dark-colored van – along with Beavers and Esquivel in the 16000 block of 21st Avenue shortly before 3 p.m., according to police and reports from the scene.
A total of seven people were detained, including Beavers and Esquivel, who were questioned and later arrested, police reported.
Members of the Lake County District Attorney’s Office and Clearlake Police Department are securing two separate locations in anticipation of the issuance of a search warrant, police said.
Bennett told Lake County News that the shooting appeared to have been motivated by a fight earlier on Sunday at a Dam Road store between one of the suspects and the shooting victims.
Beavers and Esquivel are alleged to have gone to the 19th Avenue residence, where a handgun was fired at a large group of people, including children, resulting in the one death and injuries to the other two victims, Bennett said.
Clausen said his agency will release additional information on the case as soon as it is able to do so.
Anyone with additional investigation is encouraged to contact Clearlake Police Det. Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.
Clearlake correspondent Denise Rockenstein contributed to this report.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Police at scene of Clearlake homicide; subjects detained for questioning
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police are on the scene of a triple shooting that resulted in one death in the city of Clearlake early Sunday afternoon, with questioning of several detained individuals under way.
The shooting occurred at a residence located at 15858 19th Ave. shortly before 1 p.m., according to radio reports.
Within just a few hours, police had detained seven people, including two who they were looking for in connection to the shooting.
Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen told Lake County News that there were three victims, with one of the individuals having died.
Det. Sgt. Nick Bennett said there was one male dead at the scene, with the two other shooting victims – a female and a male – sustaining injuries that were not life threatening.
Police so far have not released the victims' names.
The female victim was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake and released shortly afterward, according to police. She had been grazed in the side.
Bennett said the second male shooting victim was hit in the elbow. A CalStar air ambulance, which set down at a landing zone at Ray's Food Place, transported the wounded man to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The motivation for the fight appeared to come from a confrontation that had happened earlier in the day at a store on Dam Road, according to Bennett.
After the fight, one of the subjects involved – who lived on 19th Avenue – returned home. A short time later, the other party involved in the fight, with an additional subject, showed up at the 19th Avenue residence looking for him, Bennett said.
There was a large group of people – including children – at the scene, which is near a dead end. Bennett said one of the suspects pulled a handgun, got out of the vehicle and fired numerous rounds, killing the one male and wounding the two others.
The suspects then fled the scene in what was described as a dark-colored van, according to reports from the scene.
Nearby St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake was reported to be on lockdown following the incident.
The District Attorney's Office arrived at the scene to assist with the investigation.
Clearlake Police Det. Ryan Peterson was working at the scene with a metal detector and measuring roller.
Then, just before 3 p.m., police responded to a house on 21st Avenue, where they were using a public address system to tell a woman and her child to come out of the home.
Reports from the scene indicated seven individuals were detained shortly thereafter, with two individuals wanted in connection to the shootings among them.
Bennett said those two subjects had not been arrested as of 4:30 p.m.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
The Sunday shooting followed an early morning stabbing incident involving two victims on Grant Drive in Clearlake. Both of those subjects were transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Police have not yet released a report on the stabbing.
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- Written by: ELIZABETH LARSON AND DENISE ROCKENSTEIN
Police search for suspect in home invasion robbery; one in custody
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Police are on the lookout for a Lakeport woman who allegedly took part in a home invasion robbery late last week.
Raiven Monica Shepherd, 30, is wanted in connection to the robbery, which happened last Friday, Aug. 30, according to Lt. Jason Ferguson of the Lakeport Police Department.
Ferguson said Shepherd is considered armed and dangerous, and is wanted for first degree robbery, terrorist threats and assault with a deadly weapon.
As part of the investigation, officers requested a be on the look out for Shepherd, Ferguson said.
Ferguson said police already have taken into custody another suspect in the case, 47-year-old Tod Dean Syper of Nice.
Just after 10 p.m. last Friday Lakeport Police officers responded to a reported physical altercation in the 500 block of First Street between five subjects involving bats and a firearm, Ferguson said.
When officers arrived they contacted the neighbor, identified as Jerry Musick, who reported hearing someone yelling for help next door at Ben Perry’s residence, according to Ferguson.
Musick reportedly went next door and found Shepherd and Syper standing near a bathroom holding baseball bats, Ferguson said. Inside the bathroom was Ray Bell who was at the residence to visit Ben Perry and Lori Ridgel.
Ferguson said that at some point Bell exited the bathroom and a verbal altercation broke out. Shepherd and Syper fled to the backyard where they were followed by Musick.
While in the backyard Shepherd allegedly pulled out a small caliber handgun and pointed it at Musick, who reportedly yelled, “She has a gun.” Ferguson said Musick's son tossed him a 12-gauge shotgun and Musick fired two rounds at a travel trailer in an attempt to dissuade Shepherd and Syper, who both fled the area.
During the investigation officers learned that both Shepherd and Syper arrived at Perry’s residence and demanded money, keys and cellular phone from Ray Bell by using threats, Ferguson said.
At some point Shepherd and Syper became aggressive and Shepherd brandished the gun and threatened to kill Ray Bell before he fled to the bathroom and locked the door, according to Ferguson.
Approximately two hours later, officers located Syper at N. Starr and Armstrong streets and placed him under arrest for first degree robbery, false imprisonment and assault with a deadly weapon. Ferguson said officers searched the area for Raiven Shepherd but didn't find her.
Syper was transported to the Hill Road Jail, where his bail was set at $285,000, Ferguson said.
Jail records indicated Syper remained in custody on Thursday, with a court appearance set for next Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Raiven Monica Shepherd is described as an adult American Indian female, 5 feet 4 inches tall, 135 pounds, black hair and brown eyes.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.
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Police arrest storage unit caretaker on suspicion of burglary
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police officers have taken the caretaker of a storage unit business into custody in connection with recent burglaries of storage units.
Nick Hoskins, 45, was arrested on Monday following the service of search warrants at B&K Storage, located at 6925 Old Highway 53, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
Also arrested for drug possession at the time of the search warrant service was 34-year-old Andrew Levine, Joseph said.
Joseph explained that over the last several months, the Clearlake Police Department has taken several reports of burglaries of B&K Storage units. However, there were no leads to follow up on and the cases had remained unsolved.
Then, during the week of Aug. 26, Clearlake Police officers obtained information that linked Hoskins, the storage facility’s residential caretaker, to at least one of the storage facility’s recent burglaries, Joseph said.
With this information, Clearlake Police detectives obtained a search warrant to search Hoskins’ residence at B&K Storage and “The Thrift Store,” located at 7050 Old Highway 53, which also is owned and operated by Hoskins, according to Joseph.
Joseph said officers believed that The Thrift Store was being used as a fencing operation to sell stolen property from the storage facility.
At 12:30 p.m. Monday Clearlake Police officers and detectives served search warrants at the storage facility and the thrift shop. Joseph said two separate teams of officers were used to serve the warrant simultaneously.
While serving the warrant at B&K Storage, officers contacted Andrew Levine just outside Hoskins’ residence, Joseph said.
Levine initially reached into his pockets as officers approached and refused to follow orders. Joseph said officers detained Levine and he was found to have suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia on him. Levine subsequently was arrested.
Joseph said officers then contacted Hoskins, who refused to come to the door and let officers inside. As a result, officers had to force entry into the residence.
Officers immediately located drug paraphernalia in Hoskins’ residence and he was arrested, Joseph said.
During service of the warrant, stolen property from one of the storage burglaries was located throughout Hoskins' residence as well as suspected methamphetamine, according to Joseph.
A .22-caliber rifle also was found in Hoskins’ residence and an illegal “blow gun” and blow gun ammunition. Joseph said Hoskins is a prior convicted felon and may not possess firearms, and Hoskins additionally was charged with these violations.
While officers were at Hoskins’ residence, another team of officers served the warrant at The Thrift Store. Joseph said officers located additional stolen property from the same storage facility burglary for sale in the thrift shop.
He said officers then located additional stolen property from a separate B&K Storage facility burglary, which had already been reported to the Clearlake Police Department in June. All of the identified stolen property was recovered by detectives.
Due to unsafe conditions found inside The Thrift Store during the service of the search warrant, the Lake County Fire Protection District fire marshal arrived and closed the business due to fire safety concerns, Joseph said.
Based on the fact that at least two storage facility burglaries are now linked to Hoskins, Joseph said Hoskins additionally was charged with two counts of burglary. Both he and Levine later were booked into the Lake County Jail.
Joseph said detectives now are working to try and link Hoskins to other storage facility burglaries.
Not all property that was reported stolen has been located, and Joseph said the whereabouts of the other stolen property isn't yet known. He said some of it may have been moved to other locations or sold to unsuspecting customers.
Anyone with information on these burglaries at B&K Storage is asked to contact Det. Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320. Callers may remain anonymous.
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Police K9 helps take domestic violence suspect into custody
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake Police K9 captured a domestic violence suspect who was attempting to flee a police officer early Sunday morning.
Miguel Garcia, 31, was arrested in the case, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs.
At 12:45 a.m. Sunday Clearlake Police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 3000 block of Third Street for a reported domestic violence incident that had just occurred, Hobbs said.
Officer Elvis Cook and his canine partner “Max” arrived at the location within four minutes of the call to police, according to Hobbs.
Hobbs said the alleged victim told Officer Cook that her husband, Garcia, had assaulted her with a flashlight and punched her numerous times causing visible injuries.
While Officer Cook was speaking with the victim he observed Garcia in the backyard of the property. Hobbs said Garcia subsequently ran from Cook into a neighboring yard.
Cook chased after Garcia and gave him several warnings to stop or he would deploy his canine, Hobbs said. Garcia refused to comply and Max was deployed.
Max apprehended Garcia a short distance away. Cook placed Garcia under arrest for felony domestic violence with injury and assault with a deadly weapon, and misdemeanor resisting arrest, according to Hobbs.
Garcia was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake to obtain treatment for injuries to his leg and arm, Hobbs said.
After being medically cleared for incarceration Garcia was transported to the Lake County jail. Bail was set at $25,000, according to jail records.
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