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Michael A. Dodele, 67, was found dead Tuesday in his home, located in Space 19 of the Western Hills Mobile Home Park at 3555 Lakeshore Blvd., according to a report from Chief Deputy Russ Perdock of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Dodele’s name had been withheld Tuesday until his next of kin were contacted and notified of his death, Perdock said.
Perdock reported that deputies found Dodele with what appeared to be multiple stab wounds to his left side and chest.
Arrested in connection with Dodele's death is Ivan Garcia Oliver, 29, a construction worker who lived in Space 31B at the same trailer park, according to Perdock.
Neighbors had pointed deputies in Oliver's direction Tuesday after they reportedly saw him leave Dodele's residence with what appeared to be blood on his hands and clothing, Perdock reported.
When deputies arrived at Oliver's residence, Perdock reported that they found blood on the car, in front of the apartment and at the front door. When they entered the residence to check for additional victims they met Oliver, who allegedly had blood on his hands and clothing.
Perdock reported that deputies immediately detained Oliver, who at that time allegedly made several incriminating comments, essentially admitting to attacking Dodele.
Based on Oliver's alleged statements and their observations at the scene, deputies requested sheriff's investigations personnel respond, said Perdock.
Deputies subsequently cordoned off the area and restricted movement within the park to allow the investigators to examine the scene, according to Perdock. Investigators interviewed several people who had witnessed what took place at the park Tuesday morning.
At 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, investigators secured a search warrant for the residences of both Dodele and Oliver, Perdock reported.
Detectives continued processing the scenes for evidence throughout the rest of the day Tuesday, Perdock said. Their on-site investigation finished up just after midnight Wednesday morning.
The investigation turned up what may be a key piece of evidence, said Perdock.
“We have a weapon but we're not sure if that's the weapon,” he said. “We're waiting for autopsy results.”
Dodele's autopsy, according to Perdock, is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 27.
Officials took Oliver to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment of what appeared to be superficial injuries, consisting of a small cut to his right hand, according to Perdock.
Once he was treated and released from the hospital, Oliver was transported to the Lake County Jail for booking. Perdock reported that the sheriff's office initially was unable to confirm Oliver's identify, a problem that was solved once they ran his fingerprints.
Jail records show that Oliver is being held on a murder charge and a felony parole violation, the latter causing him to be held without bail.
Oliver was on parole from San Diego through the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for assault with a deadly weapon, Perdock reported. A parole hold was placed on Oliver because of his alleged involvement in Dodele's death.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said Wednesday afternoon that he will be prosecuting the case, with Oliver scheduled to appear in court Monday, Nov. 26.
No charges have yet been formally filed, Hinchcliff said, because sheriff's investigators haven't yet forwarded the case to his office. “They're still working on it.”
Perdock reported that the investigation is continuing.
Anyone with information about the case who has not yet spoken with investigators is encouraged to contact Det. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff's Office at 707-262-4200 during business hours.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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Fesmire, suffering from terminal cancer, was unable to make the event, said Brown. He read the proclamation that honored the 55-year-old Vietnam veteran to a standing-room-only audience.
Fire chiefs and officials from around the county lined the back of the room; others in attendance included Fesmire's friends from the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 951.
Minutes later, Brown walked out into the courthouse lobby to greet a room filled with teary-eyed people. It was then he discovered Fesmire had died just minutes before the proclamation's presentation.
Shortly before noon, flags at fire stations around Lake County were lowered to half-staff in Fesmire's honor, and will remain at half-staff until the close of business Friday, according to Northshore Fire District officials.
Fesmire, a native of Carmichael, served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1973, according to the county's proclamation.
A veteran of two tours in Vietnam, Fesmire was a helicopter crew chief gunner for the Troop C (Air) 16th Cavalry. In that capacity, he earned two Bronze Stars, received the Purple Heart and numerous other honors including 34 Air Medals for combat flight time and one for valor.
Back in the states, Fesmire was in the California National Guard from 1976 to 1980, serving in the 126th Helicopter Company Air Ambulance. He also volunteered at the Rio Linda Fire Department, according to his friend and boss, Northshore Fire Chief Jim Robbins.
Robbins said Fesmire came to Lake County in 1987 as the supervisor for Redwood Empire Life Support. Two years later he joined the Lucerne Fire Department as a volunteer.
“He was a very, very dedicated volunteer all through the years,” said Robbins.
Fesmire didn't join the fire department as a full-time employee right away, said Robbins. “I had been trying to lure him into coming to work for me for several years.”
Eventually, Robbins got his man. Fesmire came to work as captain/paramedic with Lucerne Fire – later to be consolidated into Northshore Fire District.
On Tuesday Robbins, saddened by his friend's death, could still remember the exact day Fesmire joined the department – Nov. 3, 2002.
“Fezzy” – as he was known to his friends and colleagues – could be a little gruff with the new volunteers, Robbins remembered, likely due to his time in the service.
But Fesmire was ultimately a generous man with a heart of gold, Robbins said, giving countless hours to the department, hours that came at the expense of personal time with his family and other interests, like motorcycle riding. Robbins said Fesmire had an old Harley Davidson motorcycle in his shop that he never quite got around to rebuilding.
Ginny Craven, who for 14 years was a volunteer with Lucerne Fire, said she got to know Fesmire well over the years, running medical and fire calls with him.
Besides seeing him save strangers, Craven said Fesmire's skills as a paramedic saved her mother, who he resuscitated during a medical call in 1991.
Less than a month ago, Fesmire began suffering flu-like symptoms, said Robbins. At the same time, Fesmire's kidneys began to shut down.
Fesmire sought medical treatment for kidney failure, and after running other tests doctors discovered he had a large tumor on the vena cava, the body's second largest vein, said Robbins.
“He wanted me to be one of the first to know what was going on,” said Robbins, who explained that the prognosis hadn't given Fesmire much time.
Fesmire's attitude, said Robbins, was one of trying to get as much life out of his remaining days as possible.
On Saturday, Nov. 17, Fesmire's friends celebrated him at “Fezzy Fest,” held at the Lucerne Firehouse.
“It was wonderful,” said Robbins. “We had close to 300 people here, and they came from all different walks of life.”
Fesmire's friends included other Vietnam vets, motorcycle enthusiasts and, of course, firefighters, said Robbins.
“It put a big smile on his face, and that kind of helped some of us heal a little bit,” said Robbins.
Craven added that the event gave her an even greater sense of the many dimension's of Fesmire's life and impact on others.
One of Fezzy Fest's big surprises, said Craven, came from his friend Rod Harper, owner of The Hog Pen in Nice.
Harper had gone over to Fesmire's place and pulled out that old Harley he never got around to fixing, and rebuilt it for him. Robbins said Harper also read a poem for his friend that “knocked everybody's socks off.”
Harper couldn't be reached for a comment on his friend for this article.
On Sunday, Fesmire took the bike out for a ride, said Robbins.
Along with his many friends and colleagues, Fesmire leaves behind wife, Karen; daughters, Kendra, Katie and Michelle; and granddaughter, Danielle.
Memorial services haven't yet been announced, said Robbins. “Knowing Dave, he's got everything planned out.”
Robbins said he's giving the family space to grieve before finding out what they have planned. He said announcement about services will follow shortly.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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