NORTH COAST, Calif. — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating a fatal shooting in Covelo last week.

Capt. Quincy Cromer said that just after 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, deputies were dispatched to a 911 hangup in the area north of Covelo, CA.

The 911 caller was an unidentified male who advised he needed help for a friend and later disconnected. Utilizing the systems and technology from the Sheriff’s Office Communications Center, the dispatcher was able to trace the 911 call to the 82000 block of Mina Road in Covelo, Cromer said.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of the 911 hang-up near Covelo and overheard radio traffic just before 11 p.m. of a deputy in Ukiah being dispatched to the Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Emergency Room for an adult male subject with possible gunshot wounds.

Cromer said deputies extensively checked the area of Mina Road for the 911 hang-up. While on Mina Road, deputies were contacted by subjects in a vehicle who reported an unresponsive male was located a short distance away on Hulls Valley Road.

Deputies responded to the area of Hulls Valley Road, approximately 1 mile from the intersection with Mina Road, and located an unresponsive adult male on the roadway near 2 vehicles that were unoccupied along the road. This area was determined to be the 23000 block of Hulls Valley Road, Cromer said.

Deputies checked the unresponsive adult male and determined he was deceased from apparent gunshot wounds at 12:42 a.m. Thursday, May 15, according to Cromer’s report.

Cromer said there were multiple firearms located in the vicinity of the decedent and expended cartridge casings on the ground. There was also blood evidence located along the ground and Deputies followed the blood trail for approximately ¼ mile where they located a large marijuana grow with hoop houses and several camp trailers.

As deputies continued to investigate the apparent homicide in Covelo, Cromer said other deputies responded to the emergency room in Ukiah to further investigate the subject with gunshot wounds who was receiving medical treatment.

Deputies interviewed the adult male with gunshot wounds and the subject who transported him to the hospital. Based on these interviews, Cromer said deputies determined this investigation was related to the shooting incident and deceased subject located by sheriff’s office personnel on Hulls Valley Road.

Due to the subject’s significant injuries, the adult male with gunshot wounds at the Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Emergency Room was transported to an out-of-county hospital for further medical treatment, Cromer reported.

Sheriff’s office detectives were contacted and briefed on both incidents as they were determined to be related. Cromer said detectives prepared a search warrant for the marijuana grow property on Hulls Valley Road and the shooting scene along Hulls Valley Road.

Additional sheriff’s office personnel and investigators with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office were requested to respond to Covelo and assist with the investigation, Cromer said.

Deputies canvassed the area of Mina Road and Hulls Valley Road in an attempt to find possible witnesses or other involved subjects. At 8:15 a.m. Thursday, May 15, a deputy located another adult male subject on Hulls Valley Road who was approximately 4 miles from the intersection with Mina Road, according to Cromer.

Cromer said the adult male had numerous apparent gunshot wounds and required emergency medical treatment. An air ambulance was requested, and the adult male was airlifted to a different out-of-county hospital for emergency medical treatment. Basic statements from the subject indicated he suffered gunshot wounds during the same shooting incident on Hulls Valley Road.

The two subjects with gunshot wounds who were transported to different out-of-county hospitals are in stable condition and have been interviewed regarding this ongoing homicide investigation, Cromer reported.

Cromer said attempts are being made to positively identify the adult male found dead on Hulls Valley Road. Once the man has been identified and his legal next-of-kin has been notified of his death, additional information can be released regarding his identity.

A post-mortem examination is being scheduled for the dead man and the official cause and manner of death will not be released until the pathologist completes their examination and reports, Cromer said.

During this investigation, Cromer said deputies uncovered evidence which is indicative of illegal marijuana cultivation and sales under the control of a drug trafficking organization.

Additional information related to the suspected drug trafficking organization will not be released to maintain the integrity of this investigation, Cromer said.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is requested to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 707-463-4086 (option 1). Information can also be provided anonymously by calling the non-emergency tip-line at 707-234-2100.