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LAKE COUNTY – The Lake County Sheriff's Office reported Friday that a homicide victim whose body was discovered last week in an illegal marijuana garden has been identified.
The body of Jose Luis Tafolla, 29, was identified as the result of an autopsy conducted Monday at the Napa County Coroner's Office, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Tafolla had been reported missing from Santa Rosa on Sept. 1. Sheriff's official discovered his body in a shallow grave in a large marijuana growing operation off of Highway 175 in Middletown last week, as Lake County News has reported.
Bauman said sheriff’s detectives attending the autopsy found that Tafolla had sustained multiple high-velocity gunshot wounds. Fingerprints collected during the autopsy were used to confirm Tafolla's identity on Tuesday.
On Monday, a combined task force of sheriff’s detectives, sheriff’s Search and Rescue and members of Kelseyville’s K-Corps conducted a daylong extended search of the eradicated marijuana operation and homicide scene for any remaining evidence relating to the homicide. Bauman said the search operation yielded several more items of physical evidence, including more ammunition and spent firearms cartridges believed to be connected to the homicide.
On Thursday, sheriff’s detectives served two search warrants relating to the homicide investigation on residences in the city of Santa Rosa, said Bauman. Those search warrants resulted in the interview of several potential witnesses and revealed the identities of several new persons of interest.
Since detectives began this investigation, they have learned that Tafolla reportedly left Santa Rosa on Aug. 24 with two associates and went to the marijuana grow in Lake County, apparently intending to steal marijuana by force to settle a debt owed to one of them by one of the growers, according to Bauman.
The three were not supposed to return to Santa Rosa for about a week but the day after they left, Tafolla’s two associates returned without him and his girlfriend – who Bauman said was previously believed to be Tafolla's wife – became concerned.
By Labor Day weekend, Tafolla had still not returned to Santa Rosa. When his girlfriend insisted on knowing his whereabouts, one of the two he went to Lake County with a week prior told her he had been shot and killed in a gun fight when they tried to steal the marijuana. Bauman said she then notified authorities in Santa Rosa of circumstances surrounding Tafolla’s disappearance.
Interviews and the condition of Tafolla's body when he was recovered from the marijuana operation indicate he was killed on or about Aug. 24, said Bauman.
He said that the two men arrested as they fled the area of the marijuana operation on Sept. 3 are still believed to be connected to the homicide, however, the investigation has yet to yield enough information to either charge them or clear them of any direct responsibility.
The investigation remains open pending further work by sheriff’s detectives, Bauman reported.
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KELSEYVILLE – A Friday morning fire destroyed a Kelseyville home.
Engineer/Paramedic Jim Dowdy of the Kelseyville Fire Protection District, who was incident commander, said an off-duty district fireman spotted the blaze at 3045 South Lake Drive.
The home was fully engulfed when it was first reported, said Dowdy. The fire was dispatched at 10:30 a.m.
Kelseyville Fire responded with four engines, while Lake County Fire Protection sent a water truck and and and engine, and Cal Fire provided two engines, a hand crew, a battalion chief and a helicopter, Dowdy said.
The fire destroyed the two-story home and burned less than a quarter-acre of nearby wildland, said Dowdy.
No one was at home when the fire broke out, and Dowdy said no firefighters were injured.
He said the home is a complete loss. A full damage estimate wasn't available Friday afternoon, although Dowdy guessed that the home was worth about $350,000.
It's been a busy few weeks for home fires, with previous blazes destroying homes in Kelseyville and Upper Lake.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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The wilderness area was closed June 26 due to wildland fire activity and in the interest of public safety. The closure was initially effective through the end of the 2008 fire season, which traditionally ends in October with the first rains.
Last month the Yolla Bolly Complex was contained after burning nearly 90,000 acres in two months, officials reported.
For visitor safety, the portion of the Wilderness on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest will remain closed until further notice due to the number of snags along trails.
The reopening means hunters and other recreational users will be able to enjoy the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness this fall before the rain starts.
However, until there is significant rain, forest officials warn that we are still in an active fire season and this area has already been affected by fire. Visitors are asked to use caution in these areas and to respect the fire restrictions that are still in place.
Because there is inherent risk in any outdoor activity, visitors are cautioned that they should be aware of the challenges associated with recreating in wilderness areas, including:
Falling dead trees or tree branches – commonly known as snags – especially in windy conditions. Note that trees in burned areas may still look alive, but could be unstable after being burned.
Weak and unstable spots on the forest floor from burned out stumps and roots.
Slippery conditions from ash, needles, and other debris, particularly when wet.
Flash floods and mudslides in burned areas without vegetation.
Visitors should be prepared for changing weather conditions, including temperature fluctuations and the potential for precipitation, especially at higher elevations.
Campsites should be located away from burned areas, areas that may be subject to falling or rolling debris or trees, or beneath cliffs or steep slopes.
Visitors also are asked to help protect forest resources by remaining on designated roads. Motor Vehicle Use Maps are available for the Mendocino National Forest.
For more information, contact the Six Rivers National Forest Mad River Ranger District at 707-574-6233 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/sixrivers; the Mendocino National Forest Covelo Ranger
District at -707-983-6118, Grindstone Ranger District at 530-934-3316 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino; or the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Supervisor’s Office at 530- 226-2500 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity.
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LAKEPORT – What started out as a customer appreciation promotion at a Lakeport gas station ended with traffic gridlock and public safety concerns.
On Thursday, Tower Mart on Lakeport Boulevard began selling regular unleaded gasoline for $1.99 per gallon, with discounts for other grades of gas as well, except for diesel, which remained at $4.29 per gallon.
Tower Mart Regional Manager Walt Huth said he found out from the corporate offices Thursday morning that the reduced gas was being offered beginning at noon as part of a special promotion.
At about 12:01 p.m., Lakeport Police started receiving a deluge of calls, said Sgt. Kevin Odom of Lakeport Police.
Over the next few hours, callers reported a massive traffic jam at Highway 29's Todd Road exit and down Lakeport Boulevard, said Lt. Brad Rasmussen. There also were reports of irate people – some of them getting ready to fight.
Lakeport Unified School District's transportation supervisor called to express concern about school buses being able to get through town between 2:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., said Rasmussen.
Odom and Officer Norm Taylor initially were sent out to investigate the situation, and found traffic was lined up from the station down Lakeport Boulevard to Main Street, Rasmussen said.
Both northbound and southbound off ramps were backed up with traffic almost to the highway, said Rasmussen. At one point, drivers were backing down the off ramps or blocking intersections. Gas station clerks were out near the road beckoning divers into the business.
“We discovered they had not done any planning for this,” said Rasmussen, who added the promotion was supposed to go on for four days.
A California Highway Patrol sergeant and a Lakeport Public Works superintendent responded to the scene along with Lakeport Police. Rasmussen said they quickly became concerned that if the promotion went on until 5 p.m. as planned, the public safety concerns would only mount.
Rasmussen said the clogged streets caused delays for people trying to get to other businesses in the area and to Mendocino College's Lake Center on Parallel Drive.
Across the street, McDonald's owner John Norcio said that he did not feel that his lunchtime business had been adversely effected. His staff had begun taking orders from drivers waiting in the backup and had runners delivering food directly to the cars.
Rasmussen spoke to Lakeport City Attorney Steve Brookes about legal concerns before asking the station to shut the promotion down until he could meet with city officials to form a plan.
Police didn't want to harm the station's business but their concerns about safety were the primary issue, Rasmussen explained.
Store manager Debbie Bottorff said the sale shut down about 1:30 p.m.
Rasmussen said police helped control traffic around the gas station. Anyone still in line when the shutdown was called were allowed to purchase gas. By the time police left the area it was nearly 3 p.m.
People were still busily stopping into the station all afternoon.
Bottorff said sales figures for the sales period were not available Thursday afternoon. She estimated that on a normal day the station pumps a total of 2,600 gallons.
Tower Mart offered the reduced gas at seven other areas around the state, including Lincoln and Lathrop. In Lathrop, the resulting traffic jams also led to a shutdown over public safety concerns, according to media reports.
Rasmussen said he had asked Huth to meet with city officials Friday morning to go over a plan for future reduced gas sales, and Huth agreed, although later in the day he changed his mind and canceled.
Huth indicated that the Lakeport station would still offer some gas discounts in the coming days, with prices expected to be set at $3.29 through the weekend.
Elizabeth Larson contributed to this report.
E-mail Harold LaBonte at
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