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California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Marin County Sheriff Jamie Scardina, Marin County District Attorney Lori Frugoli on Wednesday announced the California Department of Justice’s Familial Search Program provided an investigative lead that has led to the arrest of 75-year-old Michael Eugene Mullen for the brutal 1973 rape and murder of a young woman who lived in San Rafael with her husband and two-year-old daughter.

“I am incredibly proud of the endless hours of behind the scenes work our Bureau of Forensic Services put into this case,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We are hopeful that this arrest will bring justice and closure to this devastating case. Thank you to our partners at Marin County Sheriff’s Office and the Marin County District Attorney’s Office. This arrest proves that when we work together, we get results.”

In 2021, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office sought assistance from the California Department of Justice’s Familial Search Program to generate new leads in the cold case of Nina Fischer.

Fischer had been sexually assaulted and murdered in her San Rafael home in November 1973, while her husband was at work.

The Familial Search Program worked for several months and provided a lead. This led to a three-year investigation and identified Michael Eugene Mullen from Idaho as the suspect.

On Aug. 14, 2024, Mullen was arrested by Marin County investigators, along with the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho State Police.

He was taken to Lemhi County Jail and is now awaiting extradition to California for prosecution that will be handled by the Marin County District Attorney’s Office.

DOJ's Familial Search Program compares DNA from unsolved serious crimes against California’s Convicted Offender DNA Database to identify potential relatives of perpetrators.

If a potential relative is identified, and if additional investigation by DOJ’s Bureau of Investigation supports the genetic information, an investigative lead is provided to law enforcement.

DOJ’s Familial Search Program has provided investigative leads in 30 different cases since the genesis of the program in 2008.

The program uses technology and comparison data that is distinct from Forensic Investigated Genetic Genealogy.

The Familial Search Program is one of many programs within DOJ’s Bureau of Forensic Services, or BFS.

BFS is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art accredited laboratory system servicing 46 of the state's 58 counties.

BFS operates 10 regional crime laboratories for which forensic scientists collect, analyze, interpret, and compare physical evidence from suspected crimes.

DNA casework analysis is performed at the Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory in Richmond, as well as regional laboratories located in Ripon, Fresno, Redding, Riverside, Sacramento and Santa Barbara.

The Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory also houses the DNA Databank, Missing Persons DNA Program, Method Development, and the aforementioned Familial Searching program. BFS services are provided at no cost to law enforcement agencies in the 46 counties.

The Park fire as seen by an Alert California camera.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — A fire that began Wednesday in Chico’s Bidwell Park has grown massively over the past day, and authorities said Thursday they have arrested a Chico man they believe is responsible for causing the fire.

The Park fire was first reported just before 3 p.m. Wednesday off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park, east of Chico.

On Wednesday night the fire had been reported to be more than 6,500 acres, an estimate that was up to more than 45,000 acres by Thursday morning.

By Thursday afternoon, officials said the fire was at 71,489 acres, with containment remaining at 3%.

At around 6 p.m., Cal Fire said the fire had grown to 124,949 acres, with no increased containment.

Fire officials said Thursday that the blaze continues to move quickly, with the priority placed on protecting communities. It has moved into Tehama County and is expected to impact the Cohasset area near Chico on Thursday night.

On Thursday, the Butte County District Attorney’s Office said a 42-year-old Chico man was arrested by Cal Fire arson investigators and booked on suspicion of intentionally starting the Park fire.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said in a Thursday afternoon briefing that Ronnie Dean Stout II was arrested at 2 a.m. Thursday after his home in a mobile home park was surrounded by investigators with Cal Fire and the District Attorney’s Office authorities, who told him to come out with his hands up over a loudspeaker.

“He did and he was arrested at that time,” said Ramsey.

Stout is being held on a no-bail arrest warrant issued by a judge early Thursday and will remain in the Butte County Jail without bail until he’s arraigned on Monday afternoon. Ramsey said charges haven’t yet been filed due to the ongoing investigation, but he expects Stout to be charged with a count of arson. Ramsey said additional counts could be added at that time.

Ramsey said the evidence that led authorities to Stout was that a witness saw Stout near Alligator Hole in upper Bidwell Park. He was next to a vehicle, which turned out to belong to his mother.

The witness saw a fire start under the front left of the car, and felt Stout’s activity was strange because he was doing nothing other than watching the fire.

Ramsey said the witness saw Stout get into the vehicle and do something before getting back out and pushing the flaming vehicle down a 60-foot embankment into a gulley, where the Park fire began.

Authorities said Stout was then seen calmly leaving the area by blending in with the other citizens who were in the area and fleeing the rapidly evolving fire.

Ramsey’s office said Cal Fire arson investigators responded immediately, secured the scene, and began to search for clues to Stout’s identity.

Stout has two prior strikes, Ramsey said. The first was for a conviction in Butte County in 2001 for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.

The Megan’s Law database shows that Stout is a registered sex offender.

Ramsey said Stout’s second conviction was in 2002 in Kern County for robbery with great bodily injury.

In 2003, as a result of the convictions, Stout was sent to state prison for 20 years. “We do not know how long he spent in state prison at this time but we do know he was out and up in Upper Bidwell Park when he was arrested for a DUI in 2020,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey said the investigation is ongoing and anyone who has information or was in the
Alligator Hole area between the hours of noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday is encouraged to call Cal Fire investigations at 530-538-7888.

Evacuations and resources

The Park fire has prompted a broad swath of evacuations in Butte and Tehama counties. The evacuation areas can be seen here.

Officials continue to urge people to take evacuation orders seriously and to get out while it’s safe to do so.

Cal Fire said the Park fire displayed “dynamic fire activity overnight,” with winds remaining a factor and the temperature staying in the 80s.

The agency said three helicopters were available for night operations, and they took advantage and spent the night finding hot spots to drop water on.

Thursday saw more hot, dry weather with a steady breeze from the south again. Cal Fire said its Incident Management Team 3 was taking command of the fire on Thursday.

Resources assigned to the fire also grew by Thursday, with 1,153 personnel, six helicopters, 153 engines, 41 dozers, 10 water tenders, 40 crews and 22 other resources assigned.

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.

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. – Cal Fire said its law enforcement officers have arrested an Anderson man for causing a wildland fire near Geyserville on Wednesday.

Justin Roy Jones, 44, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail in Santa Rosa at approximately 7:25 p.m. Wednesday and charged with two felony counts, Cal Fire reported.

He was arrested in connection to the cause of the 36-acre Flora Fire Wednesday off Chalk Hill Road in northern Sonoma County, authorities said.

Cal Fire arrested Jones for violations of Penal Code § 452 (c) for unlawfully and recklessly starting a fire to any structure, forestland or property, and Penal Code § 1203.2 for violating terms of his probation.

Authorities said Jones was observed driving his truck with no right front tire for over four miles, creating sparks as the truck grinded on the asphalt.

This caused three separate fires along Chalk Hill Road, threatening multiple structures and burning approximately 36 acres, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said the Flora fire was first reported at 4:39 p.m. near the 12000 block of Chalk Hill Road.

The road was closed to traffic between Spurgeon Road and Flora Ranch Road into late Wednesday evening.

The wind driven fire quickly grew to 36 acres before firefighters were able to stop its forward progress at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Cal Fire reported.

Assisting agencies on the fire include Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District, Sonoma County Fire District, Santa Rosa Fire, Healdsburg Fire, Dry Creek Rancheria Fire, Gold Ridge Fire Protection District, North Sonoma Coast Fire Protection District, South Lake County Fire Protection District and California Highway Patrol.
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The Park fire. Image courtesy of Cal Fire.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — A fire that began Wednesday afternoon in Chico’s Bidwell Park has burned thousands of acres and prompted calls for evacuations in Butte and Tehama counties.

The Park fire began just before 3 p.m. Wednesday off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park, east of Chico, and has burned north toward Cohasset and Richardson Springs.

By Wednesday night, Cal Fire said the Park fire had burned 6,465 acres, with containment at 3%.

Cal Fire said the incident is under unified command with the city of Chico Fire Department as this incident started in Bidwell Park, a “mutual threat zone” area of Butte County.

Officials said the fire is well established, with fire personnel focusing on evacuations and structure defense while concurrently building direct containment lines utilizing bulldozers, fire crews and fire engines.

More resources have been ordered and are inbound from various areas throughout Northern California.

As of Thursday night, resources assigned included 216 personnel, five helicopters — including three that were working overnight — as well as 24 engines, eight dozers, six water tenders, six crews and 17 other assigned resources.

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.
The Park fire evacuation zone around Chico, California. Courtesy image.


The Park fire evacuation zone in Tehama County, California. Courtesy image.

NORTH COAST, Calif. — A Point Arena man has been arrested for a Thursday homicide that was reported to have occurred during an argument.

Pan Jasper Brady, 47, was taken into custody for the murder of a 54-year-old male from Annapolis, according to a report from Lt. Andrew Porter of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

At 8:06 p.m. Thursday, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a 911 call from Brady reporting that he had just shot a person, Porter said.

Porter said Brady reported that he had been in an argument with the victim before retrieving a handgun and shooting the victim. Brady secured the firearm while awaiting the arrival of responding law enforcement personnel.

Sheriff's deputies and California State Parks Peace Officers responded. Due to safety concerns related to the nature of the call, medical personnel staged in the area awaiting law enforcement, Porter said.

Upon the arrival of law enforcement personnel, Porter said the victim was found to have succumbed from injuries that included at least one gunshot wound.

Porter said Brady was detained by deputies and Mendocino County Sheriff's Office detectives responded to take over the investigation.

Brady was ultimately arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail on a charge of homicide, and an additional charge for using a firearm during the commission of a homicide. Porter said Brady is being held in custody in lieu of $1 million bail.

Porter said the identity of the victim will be withheld until his legal next of kin has been notified of his death.

An autopsy will be scheduled for the victim of this case and the official cause and manner of death will not be released until the final autopsy report is available, Porter added.

This case is actively being investigated and anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office detectives by calling 707-463-4086.

Information can also be provided anonymously by calling the non-emergency tip line at 707-234-2100.

Gov. Newsom announces increased CHP deployment in Oakland. Courtesy photo.

Ramping up efforts to crack down on crime in the East Bay, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced he will increase the deployment of California Highway Patrol officers in Oakland and announced the recovery of 1,142 stolen cars, the seizure of 55 guns linked to crimes, and the arrests of 562 suspects since February.

As part of this CHP’s expanded operation, the governor will quadruple the number of shifts officers conduct in Oakland and increase surge operations over the next four months in the city, providing a CHP presence in the city every day of the week.

The operations, which will begin on Monday, will target organized crime, sideshows, carjackings, and other criminal activity seven days a week.

CHP will refer certain complex cases to the Office of the Attorney General for prosecution.

“While we are encouraged by some positive trends, the lawlessness we’re seeing on the streets of Oakland is unacceptable. Building on our partnership with local law enforcement, I'm deploying a new surge of CHP officers to help provide the people of Oakland and the East Bay the safety and security they deserve,” said Newsom.

“The California Highway Patrol’s top priority is the safety and well-being of the public. In our unwavering commitment to keeping California communities safe, we will continue to work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to create safer environments for everyone, ensuring that criminals are apprehended and held accountable,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.

"As a longtime East Bay resident, I stand united with the Governor’s Office and our state and local partners as we take necessary steps to ensure the Oakland community is a safe place for families like mine to work, live, and grow," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "The California Department of Justice is bringing our legal and law enforcement expertise to this collaborative public safety effort, and will continue holding bad actors accountable so that Oakland residents can thrive and prosper. When we work together, we get results. I am proud to stand with the Oakland community, Governor Newsom, and our state and law enforcement partners as we combat crime and seek justice for our communities."

Thursday’s announcement builds on Gov. Newsom’s strategy to improve public safety in the East Bay and the surrounding area, including through an initial CHP surge operation in February and ongoing increased enforcement focused on combating auto theft, cargo theft, retail crime, violent crime, and high-visibility traffic enforcement.

Since February 2024, CHP has recovered 1,142 stolen vehicles, seized 55 crime-linked firearms, and arrested 562 suspects.

This month’s operation also led to the arrest of a freeway road shooting suspect, who was identified through one of CHP’s newly installed high-tech “Flock” cameras announced by Governor Newsom in April.

Investing in Oakland

Earlier this year, the Governor released Caltrans’ 10-Point Action Plan in support of the city’s efforts to improve street safety and beautification.

The comprehensive plan outlines actionable steps the state is taking to further support the city through blight abatement efforts, homeless encampment resolutions, community outreach initiatives, employment opportunities, and other beautification and safety efforts. A detailed overview of the state’s investments in Oakland and Alameda County is available here.

As part of the state’s public safety investments in the region, in February, California offered the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office resources from the California National Guard, including experienced prosecutors, for prosecution efforts to take down organized drug-related criminal enterprises.

On Wednesday, the Governor’s Office notified the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office that the Cal Guard Attorneys would be redeployed to the California Attorney General’s Office, where they will begin prosecuting the cases originating in Alameda County.

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