LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities are continuing their efforts to locate residents of the Valley fire area that have been reported missing.

Sheriff Brian Martin said Tuesday that a total of 15 people have been reported missing to the Lake County Sheriff's Office since the fire began Sept. 12.

Since then, authorities have slowly worked through the list, he said.

Three of the 15 who were reported missing were confirmed to have died during the fire.

Lt. Steve Brooks said they include Leonard Neft of Anderson Springs and Bruce Burns of Hidden Valley Lake. Brooks said they have not officially confirmed the identity of a third victim, a 72-year-old woman whose body was found in her home in Anderson Springs.

Martin said eight people had still not been located as of early Tuesday morning.

However, during the course of the morning, Martin said his staff located six individuals who he said were safe, and had been staying either at shelters or with friends and family.

They included Jarad Hotchkiss, 72, of Cobb; Martha Hotchkiss, 66, of Cobb; Lincoln Schumann, 48, of Hidden Valley Lake; Joyana Brookmeyer, 80, of Hidden Valley Lake; Ivan Wright, 83, of Loch Lomond; and Gehlen Palmer, 68, of Middletown, Martin said.

Still missing are Robert Taylor Fletcher, 66, of Cobb, and Robert Litchman, 61, of Lower Lake, Martin said.

Brooks said that on Sept. 16 a deputy sheriff was asked to conduct a welfare check on Fletcher, who was last heard from by a family member on Sept. 10.

The deputy responded to the residence and was unable to locate Fletcher, and reported that the residence was gone and appeared to have burned, Brooks said.

Brooks said sheriff’s detectives responded to the residence and conducted a search with two human remains detection dogs and their handlers, which were provided by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The search provided negative results, as they were unable to locate any remains.

Then, on Sept. 17, a deputy sheriff took a missing person's report for Litchman, who a friend reported missing after having not heard from Litchman since the fire broke out, Brooks said.

Brooks said Litchman's friend told authorities that he did not believe Litchman had left his residence due to not having transportation.

The friend also said Litchman had refused to leave when told to do so by law enforcement. During the evacuation he was seen standing in the driveway waving vehicles by as others were evacuating, Brooks said.

Detectives who responded to Litchman's address also found his home had burned. In that case, as in Fletcher's, human remains detection dogs were used to search the home site, but did not locate any remains.

Brooks said the sheriff's office is continuing the search for the men, and additional searches by dogs and an anthropologist have been scheduled.

Anyone who has seen or knows the whereabouts of either Fletcher or Litchman is asked to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Willits man whose criminal record includes a murder conviction was arrested Saturday night for the armed robbery of a Lakeport motel.

Sidney Lewis Freeman, 25, was arrested late Saturday night, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said Lake County Central Dispatch received a 911 call at 5:30 p.m. Saturday reporting an armed robbery of the Regency Inn motel office. 

The responsible subject was described as a Hispanic male adult, approximately 25 to 30 years old, wearing dark clothing with a bandanna covering his face and neck, Rasmussen said.

He said Lakeport Police officers and Lake County Sheriff's deputies immediately responded to the scene, with the first unit arriving within 30 seconds. 

Investigating officers were advised that two female juveniles and an adult female who were working at the office check in desk were robbed at knifepoint by the subject, who took cash from the register, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said the victims advised that the subject fled on foot toward the old Natural High School in the 800 block of N. Main Street.

Officers and deputies conducted a search of the surrounding area but did not locate the subject, and issued a “be on the lookout” for the suspect to Lake County law enforcement, Rasmussen said.

Lakeport Police Officers continued to investigate the case and at 8 p.m., while acting on leads, positively identified the man who robbed the motel as Freeman, according to Rasmussen.

He said officers also learned that he had a prior conviction for murder with a 19-year-to-life prison sentence that later was commuted. Freeman also has prior arrests for failing to appear, marijuana sales, battery, giving false information to a peace officer and probation violation. 

With the assistance of sheriff's deputies, Lakeport Police officers checked addresses outside of the city of Lakeport where Freeman had known associates but did not locate him. Rasmussen said officers also checked an address in the city of Lakeport where Freeman may have a connection but again did not locate him.

Rasmussen said his officers continued their investigation and at approximately 11 p.m. Saturday they determined that Freeman may be currently harbored by his girlfriend in a motel room at the Anchorage Inn, located just down the street from the Regency Inn.

Lakeport Police officers went to the Anchorage Inn and located both Freeman and his girlfriend, who was identified as Felicia Brooke Amparo, 25, of Lakeport, according to Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said Freeman was arrested for the felony crime of armed robbery. Amparo was arrested for harboring a fugitive from justice and active Lake County Superior Court warrants charging drunk driving, driving on a suspended license, battery and theft. 

Officers also have positively identified Freeman as the suspect in the Sept. 8 misdemeanor case of entering Campos Casuals in Lakeport with the intent to commit theft and larceny of more than $581 in merchandise, Rasmussen said.

Prior to Proposition 47 enacted in November 2014, this crime would have been a felony, said Rasmussen, who added that the Sept. 8 case also will be sent to the Lake County District Attorney's Office for review. 

Rasmussen thanked all of the officers and deputies involved in the case for their diligence and commitment to follow all leads to ensure that a dangerous suspect was taken off the street. 

SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office said it is instituting a screening process as part of the repopulation of Middletown that is anticipated to begin on Saturday afternoon.

Repopulation of the town, which has sustained serious damage since the Valley fire broke out last Saturday, is scheduled to begin at noon, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

Brooks said those who are being allowed to return to their homes on Saturday are residents who live south of Butts Canyon Road to the Napa County line, Calistoga Street to the Dry Creek Cutoff on Highway 175 and south of Knowles Lane at Big Canyon Road.

He said residents should be prepared to present photo identification and/or documentation that will prove residency in the Middletown area within the repopulation boundary.

Screening locations are as follows:

– Entering Middletown from Lower Lake: Meet in the main parking lot of the Lower Lake High School.

– Entering Middletown from Calistoga: Meet at the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office will offer escorts into evacuation areas to take care of livestock and pets again on Wednesday. 

No escorts will be made into active fire areas, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

Brooks said that beginning at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday sheriff's deputies will start to escort residents to their homes in order to take care of or pick up livestock and pets that were left during the initial evacuation.

Residents must be able to provide identification in order to be allowed into the evacuation area, Brooks said.

Brooks said the escorts will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end promptly at 5 p.m.

The sheriff’s office will work to get as many residents to their animals during this time frame. If residents who request an escort cannot be assisted due to the number of escorts requested, the sheriff’s office will work to schedule additional escorts in coming days, Brooks said.

He said residents must meet the following criteria:

– Have photo identification listing a residence address in the evacuation area.

– Intend only to retrieve or feed animals.

– Residents must be ready with all food or equipment necessary to accomplish their task.

– Residents must be able to complete the intended task in no more than 15 minutes.

Brooks said residents requesting to enter properties south of Lower Lake, Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown will meet in the main parking lot of the Lower Lake High School.

Due to ongoing firefighting efforts, no escorts will be made to properties west of McKinley Drive on Highway 175, including the communities of Cobb, Loch Lomond or Anderson Springs.

Residents who have been displaced by the Valley fire and are currently staying at the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga will meet at the Calistoga Speedway, 2435 N. Oak St., according to Brooks.

No escorts will be made for residents requesting medications, clothes or any other personal items. Residents needing medications should see their doctor or go to the emergency rooms for assistance, Brooks said.