Judge Feeney, DDA Roger Rees and Probation take a stand for public safety; Weitchpec suspects laugh in court as if they are on vacation

◼ All four suspects tried to be released on their own recognizance. - John Chiv/Words Worth

Their lawyers, public defenders and one appointed private counsel tried but Probation recommended against their relase and DDA Roger Rees was great in stating reasons opposing their release stating specific reasons such as several failures to appear, nature of crimes, previous criminal history....

When you are accused of a serious crime, laughing like you are at Club Med doesn't exactly elicit sympathy. If you cannot be serious in court and even fake being responsible like most repeat offenders, why should you be allowed out of custody and given a second chance or third or fourth? KEEP READING

Humboldt's lovey-dovey trio

◼ ...held to answer on first degree residential burglary that happened at the Christie Motel - John Chiv/Words Worth

Remember Lance Borgner, half of Humboldt's Most Wanted duo? He is in custody with his partner in crime, Christina Higgins. Remember William Hillegeist who along with Sara Balke, is the duo who allegedly fired shots in Freshwater Park. Well after the splashy headlines, Blake is out of custody; Hillegeist is still in jail.

I have seen Borgner and Hillegeist so often on the calendar and for so many different cases, I have given up updating the status of arraignments and dates being set....

Borgner is charged with first degree residential burglary and special allegations of two firearm enhancements; Higgins the same charges; Hillegeist same charges with the additional charge of attempted, willful, premeditated murder. The murder charge was listed as a misdemeanor and Judge Feeney pointed that out to Mr. Brownfield who said the complaint would be corrected to charge it as a felony.

Humboldt County Sheriff's Office still searching for suspects in Willow Creek homicide; memorial service for Darrell Hanger Sr. set for this Saturday

◼ Humboldt County Sheriff's Office still searching for suspects in Willow Creek homicide; memorial service for Darrell Hanger Sr. set for this Saturday

While the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office continues its investigation into a shooting that killed a Willow Creek man last week, the community he served is preparing to honor his life.
What detectives believe was initially going to be the second burglary of a home on the 400 block of Sunset Place took a violent turn last Thursday morning when four people, all armed, came to the house and were met by Darrell Hanger Sr. and his son, Darrell Hanger Jr., both of whom were also armed....

...the extent of the burglary didn't end there, said Willow Creek Community Services District Manager Steve Paine, who saw both Hanger and his son just days before the shooting.

Paine said that the people who came to rob the home were “totally different” than the teenagers that both Hanger Sr. and his son were expecting to find when they decided to spend the night at the house last Wednesday.

”No one had any idea that this was the group that had performed the home invasion,” Paine said, referring to the Weitchpec case. “Obviously, had Darrell or his son known the type of criminal they were dealing with, they would have known their lives were in danger.”

There is a lot of information missing in this story. What type? What is known? If it is known, why are they still operating?

Willow Creek: Investigation into botched burglary continues

◼ victim remembered as a “wonderful father” and an “upstanding man”

An autopsy and toxicity test are scheduled today for Darrell Hanger Sr., the 50-year-old man who was shot and killed in a burglary attempt that went awry...

Humboldt County Sheriff's detectives are continuing an investigation into the incident, which left Hanger's son Darrell Hanger Jr., 25, with serious injuries from a gunshot wound. Four people robbed Hanger Jr.'s home earlier this month, according to sheriff's reports, and returned to the residence shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday to burglarize the home a second time.

They were confronted by Hanger Jr. and Sr., said Sheriff's Lt. Steve Knight, adding that both men decided to arm themselves and spend the night at the home.

”They were fearful enough that they felt if they were going to spend the night, they should be armed,” Knight said, adding that it didn't appear to be a “lying in wait” situation. “We don't believe they (Hanger Jr. and Sr.) had a plan if they showed up.”

Sheriff's detectives, meanwhile, arrested a pair of suspects in the case, said Criminal Investigations Cmdr. Dave Morey, when they were found walking down Patterson Road about a mile from the residence late Thursday afternoon. Sonia Hunsucker, 30, and Jackson Surber, 29, both of Hoopa, were taken into custody and are being held on suspicion of violating their parole.

The sheriff's office is planning to charge both Hunsucker and Surber with murder once detectives complete their investigation, Morey said, adding that new charges could be filed as soon as next week....

Both Hunsucker and Surber are being held without bail on a slew of charges from a separate home invasion incident last April in Weitchpec, in which they reportedly broke into a home on Lake Prairie Road armed with a pistol and an AR-15 assault rifle. They were booked Thursday on suspicion of assault with a firearm, threatening a crime with intent to terrorize, burglary, false imprisonment, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and robbery, charges on which they can be held for up to six months, Morey said.

Homicide in Willow Creek

◼ A Willow Creek man and his father got into a gunfight last night while defending the man’s home from burglars. Both men were shot in the exchange; the father, 50, was killed. - The Journal

The Sheriff's office site has not been updated in a while.
◼ 4/28 is the last date posted at this time

◼ UPDATE: victim remembered as a “wonderful father” and an “upstanding man”

More arrested in ongoing burglary investigation

◼ More arrested in ongoing burglary investigation
Two more arrests were made in an ongoing burglary investigation that saw its first arrests in December.

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said deputies served two warrants Tuesday in connection to Douglas and Ruth Boltzen, who were arrested on Dec. 15 when allegedly stolen property was found at their Rio Dell home and in a storage unit they rented.

The first warrant was served in the Dinsmore area where deputies found what they believe are stolen items -- generators, a portable chipper and a new aluminum trailer that was reported stolen from a dealership in Fortuna. At this location, they also found a skid loader that was allegedly taken from the Centerville Beach area in September.

The second warrant was served on the 6000 block of Crooked Prairie Road in the China Creek area. There, deputies found 625 marijuana plants and three loaded guns....

Frederick Richard Hoss, 41, and Ligeia Hassell, 39, both of Ettersburg, were arrested at the China Creek property and booked into the Humboldt County jail.

Hoss was booked on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm while committing a felony, illegally possessing ammunition, cultivating marijuana, possessing marijuana, providing a place for the cultivation of marijuana and possessing controlled substance paraphernalia.

Hassell was booked on suspicion of possession of a firearm while committing a felony, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia.

The U.S. Marshals Service, the California Highway Patrol, the Humboldt County Drug Task Force, the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation assisted in serving the warrants.
Douglas Boltzen remains in custody and the Sheriff's Office said it will be seeking more charges against him related to Tuesday's warrants....