◼ Burgess sentenced to 30 years in Sanders killing
Another person believed to have taken part in the killing of Ezra Sanders outside his McKinleyville home last February has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin confirmed that Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka, was sentenced Tuesday.
Burgess agreed to the 30-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery with special allegations that include acting in concert with two or more persons and personally discharging a firearm during the commission of a felony last month.
Last summer, Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka, and Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans, entered guilty pleas to voluntary manslaughter. Peredia was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison. Mace made a plea agreement to testify against his codefendants, and, after all the cases are finished, he will be sentenced to six years in prison.
A fourth suspect, Tracey Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka, has a trial confirmation hearing scheduled for Feb. 24.
Showing posts with label Lukus Larry Mace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lukus Larry Mace. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2010
Monday, August 31, 2009
Arraignment in Sanders case scheduled for today UPDATED
Jeffrey Allan Burgess, 39; Tracey Joleen Williams, 35; and Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, - charges of first-degree murder. The three have pleaded not guilty....They face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Burgess will also stand trial for additional special allegations that the murder was committed in the course of an attempted armed robbery and that he discharged a firearm, killing Sanders. He will also face a charge of being a felon in possession of a handgun. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges....
◼ Two suspects in February murder headed to trial
On Monday, Burgess, 39, and Williams, 35, both of Eureka, reaffirmed their not guilty pleas before Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson, and were assured the continued service of public defenders after confirming their incomes had not changed.
Both have been charged with Sanders' murder, while Burgess is also charged with a special allegation of firing the bullet that killed Sanders.
Burgess' trial is set to begin Nov. 30 at 8:30 a.m., with a trial readiness conference scheduled for Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. Codefendant Williams' trial is set for Oct. 19 at 8:30 a.m. with a trial conference scheduled for Oct. 5.
Two other defendants in the shooting -- Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka and Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans -- have entered into plea deals.
Peredia was sentenced to 13 years, four months, in state prison last week. Mace pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in early August and agreed to testify against his co-defendants. He faces a maximum of six years in prison.
Burgess will also stand trial for additional special allegations that the murder was committed in the course of an attempted armed robbery and that he discharged a firearm, killing Sanders. He will also face a charge of being a felon in possession of a handgun. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges....
◼ Two suspects in February murder headed to trial
On Monday, Burgess, 39, and Williams, 35, both of Eureka, reaffirmed their not guilty pleas before Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson, and were assured the continued service of public defenders after confirming their incomes had not changed.
Both have been charged with Sanders' murder, while Burgess is also charged with a special allegation of firing the bullet that killed Sanders.
Burgess' trial is set to begin Nov. 30 at 8:30 a.m., with a trial readiness conference scheduled for Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. Codefendant Williams' trial is set for Oct. 19 at 8:30 a.m. with a trial conference scheduled for Oct. 5.
Two other defendants in the shooting -- Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka and Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans -- have entered into plea deals.
Peredia was sentenced to 13 years, four months, in state prison last week. Mace pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in early August and agreed to testify against his co-defendants. He faces a maximum of six years in prison.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Plea Deal in McKinleyville murder case
◼ Suspect pleads in McKinleyville murder case
A second of the four suspects accused of murdering a McKinleyville man in February has reached a plea deal with the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office.
Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka, was sentenced to serve 13 years and four months in state prison Friday, after pleading guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and burglary, with a special enhancement for being armed during his role in the shooting death of 30-year-old Ezra Sanders....
In April, four suspects were charged with Sanders' murder: Peredia, Tracey Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka; Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans and Jeffrey Allan Burgess, 39, of Eureka. Burgess is also charged with a special allegation of firing the bullet that killed Sanders.
Mace reached a plea deal earlier this month, pleading guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter and agreeing to testify against his co-defendants. Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin said Mace faces a maximum of six years in prison if he complies with his part of the deal.
Burgess and Williams have pleaded not guilty, and have been held to stand trial on charges of murder.
Peredia's plea deal will leave him with two strikes on his record, meaning he will serve a minimum of 85 percent of his sentence, according to his attorney Jeffrey (yougofree.com) Schwartz.
”I think there was significant enough evidence that he felt it was too big of a risk for him to go to trial and look at life without parole,” Schwartz said of Peredia's decision to accept the plea deal. “He just had to balance the risk. ... Several witnesses placed him there. When you assess that evidence, it was a risk he didn't want to take.”
But unlike Mace's deal, Schwartz said, Peredia has no obligation to assist the prosecution's case against the remaining defendants.
”He's sentenced, gone and absolutely doesn't have to say one thing to anybody,” Schwartz said....
Williams and Burgess are scheduled to be re-arraigned Monday. Both face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A second of the four suspects accused of murdering a McKinleyville man in February has reached a plea deal with the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office.
Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka, was sentenced to serve 13 years and four months in state prison Friday, after pleading guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and burglary, with a special enhancement for being armed during his role in the shooting death of 30-year-old Ezra Sanders....
In April, four suspects were charged with Sanders' murder: Peredia, Tracey Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka; Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans and Jeffrey Allan Burgess, 39, of Eureka. Burgess is also charged with a special allegation of firing the bullet that killed Sanders.
Mace reached a plea deal earlier this month, pleading guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter and agreeing to testify against his co-defendants. Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin said Mace faces a maximum of six years in prison if he complies with his part of the deal.
Burgess and Williams have pleaded not guilty, and have been held to stand trial on charges of murder.
Peredia's plea deal will leave him with two strikes on his record, meaning he will serve a minimum of 85 percent of his sentence, according to his attorney Jeffrey (yougofree.com) Schwartz.
”I think there was significant enough evidence that he felt it was too big of a risk for him to go to trial and look at life without parole,” Schwartz said of Peredia's decision to accept the plea deal. “He just had to balance the risk. ... Several witnesses placed him there. When you assess that evidence, it was a risk he didn't want to take.”
But unlike Mace's deal, Schwartz said, Peredia has no obligation to assist the prosecution's case against the remaining defendants.
”He's sentenced, gone and absolutely doesn't have to say one thing to anybody,” Schwartz said....
Williams and Burgess are scheduled to be re-arraigned Monday. Both face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Three to answer for murder in Sanders' case
◼ Three to answer for murder in Sanders' case
Three suspects in the shooting death of 30-year-old Ezra Sanders will stand trial for his February murder during a botched robbery.
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Timothy Cissna ruled today that there is sufficient evidence to hold Jeffrey Allan Burgess, 39; Tracey Joleen Williams, 35; and Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, all of Eureka on charges of first-degree murder. The three have pleaded not guilty.
The fourth suspect, Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter last week as part of a deal that will have him face a maximum of six years in prison. Mace completed his testimony today, reiterating that he believed it was Burgess that shot Sanders at his trailer in a McKinleyville RV park at around 1 a.m. on Feb. 24, as part of an attempted robbery....
An arraignment for Burgess, Williams and Peredia is set for Aug. 31. They face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Burgess will also stand trial for additional special allegations that the murder was committed in the course of an attempted armed robbery and that he discharged a firearm, killing Sanders. He will also face a charge of being a felon in possession of a handgun. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Three suspects in the shooting death of 30-year-old Ezra Sanders will stand trial for his February murder during a botched robbery.
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Timothy Cissna ruled today that there is sufficient evidence to hold Jeffrey Allan Burgess, 39; Tracey Joleen Williams, 35; and Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, all of Eureka on charges of first-degree murder. The three have pleaded not guilty.
The fourth suspect, Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter last week as part of a deal that will have him face a maximum of six years in prison. Mace completed his testimony today, reiterating that he believed it was Burgess that shot Sanders at his trailer in a McKinleyville RV park at around 1 a.m. on Feb. 24, as part of an attempted robbery....
An arraignment for Burgess, Williams and Peredia is set for Aug. 31. They face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Burgess will also stand trial for additional special allegations that the murder was committed in the course of an attempted armed robbery and that he discharged a firearm, killing Sanders. He will also face a charge of being a felon in possession of a handgun. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
And this is still just the prelim
◼ Friend testifies against McKinleyville murder suspect
Still just the prelim and all this information spilling out. Amazing.
One of the suspects accused of murdering a McKinleyville man in February during a botched robbery attempt allegedly returned to the scene of the crime hours later looking to steal what was missed in the first attempt, a friend of hers testified Friday.
...Friday, Anthony Pratt Jr. testified that Williams called him in the hours shortly after Sanders was shot, and confessed to being involved in the crime.
Pratt, who appeared in court after being taken into custody because he failed to appear to testify Thursday, said he could tell by Williams' voice that something was wrong, and agreed to meet her to talk about it.
When the two met, Pratt testified that Williams appeared “confused” and “scared,” and that she told him Sanders had been shot during an attempted robbery, and that she had been involved. He said she did not know at the time whether Sanders had survived the shooting.
Further, Pratt said that Williams told him she intended to “go back (to Sanders' trailer) and get what they didn't get the first time.”
Pratt testified that Williams later told him that when she returned to Sanders' RV park, police were on the scene and she left.
Over the ensuing days, Pratt said Williams further confided in him that Burgess and Peredia were involved in the shooting, but Pratt had a hard time remembering when Williams told him of Mace's involvement.
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Detective Troy Garey testified Friday that he was called after Pratt was arrested for possessing methamphetamine in April, and told that Pratt had information regarding the Sanders case. Garey said that in exchange for the information, Pratt wanted to be released from custody and to have the charges against him dropped.
Garey said he made no promises, and that Pratt told him of his conversations with Williams during an interview.
Garey also testified Friday about what he found when he arrived on scene at Sanders' body in the early morning hours of Feb. 24.
When he arrived on scene, Garey testified that he found Sanders body lying about seven feet from his trailer door, lying on his back with his fists raised and clenched. Garey said a pool of blood was found inside the trailer, indicating that Sanders likely was shot inside the trailer and fell to the ground before getting up, exiting the trailer and collapsing where he was found.
Garey also testified that no fingerprints were found in the stolen truck believed to have been used in the crime that matched any of the four defendants. Other items from the truck were sent to the state Department of Justice for forensic testing, Garey said.
Garey said he and District Attorney investigator Steve Dunn re-interviewed Mace Thursday night.
At the conclusion of Friday's proceedings, McLaughlin said he may call Mace to testify Monday, when the preliminary hearing -- held to determine if there is enough evidence to hold the defendants to stand trial -- is scheduled to continue.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Thursday, the prosecutor in the case, Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin, announced that Mace had reached a plea deal with the District Attorney's Office, under which he agreed to testify against his co-defendants and to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter. If he follows through with his part of the deal, Mace faces up to six years in prison, according to McLaughlin.
The previous article said involuntary. BIG DIFFERENCE there. One is a STRIKEable offense, the other not.
Still just the prelim and all this information spilling out. Amazing.
One of the suspects accused of murdering a McKinleyville man in February during a botched robbery attempt allegedly returned to the scene of the crime hours later looking to steal what was missed in the first attempt, a friend of hers testified Friday.
...Friday, Anthony Pratt Jr. testified that Williams called him in the hours shortly after Sanders was shot, and confessed to being involved in the crime.
Pratt, who appeared in court after being taken into custody because he failed to appear to testify Thursday, said he could tell by Williams' voice that something was wrong, and agreed to meet her to talk about it.
When the two met, Pratt testified that Williams appeared “confused” and “scared,” and that she told him Sanders had been shot during an attempted robbery, and that she had been involved. He said she did not know at the time whether Sanders had survived the shooting.
Further, Pratt said that Williams told him she intended to “go back (to Sanders' trailer) and get what they didn't get the first time.”
Pratt testified that Williams later told him that when she returned to Sanders' RV park, police were on the scene and she left.
Over the ensuing days, Pratt said Williams further confided in him that Burgess and Peredia were involved in the shooting, but Pratt had a hard time remembering when Williams told him of Mace's involvement.
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Detective Troy Garey testified Friday that he was called after Pratt was arrested for possessing methamphetamine in April, and told that Pratt had information regarding the Sanders case. Garey said that in exchange for the information, Pratt wanted to be released from custody and to have the charges against him dropped.
Garey said he made no promises, and that Pratt told him of his conversations with Williams during an interview.
Garey also testified Friday about what he found when he arrived on scene at Sanders' body in the early morning hours of Feb. 24.
When he arrived on scene, Garey testified that he found Sanders body lying about seven feet from his trailer door, lying on his back with his fists raised and clenched. Garey said a pool of blood was found inside the trailer, indicating that Sanders likely was shot inside the trailer and fell to the ground before getting up, exiting the trailer and collapsing where he was found.
Garey also testified that no fingerprints were found in the stolen truck believed to have been used in the crime that matched any of the four defendants. Other items from the truck were sent to the state Department of Justice for forensic testing, Garey said.
Garey said he and District Attorney investigator Steve Dunn re-interviewed Mace Thursday night.
At the conclusion of Friday's proceedings, McLaughlin said he may call Mace to testify Monday, when the preliminary hearing -- held to determine if there is enough evidence to hold the defendants to stand trial -- is scheduled to continue.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Thursday, the prosecutor in the case, Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin, announced that Mace had reached a plea deal with the District Attorney's Office, under which he agreed to testify against his co-defendants and to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter. If he follows through with his part of the deal, Mace faces up to six years in prison, according to McLaughlin.
The previous article said involuntary. BIG DIFFERENCE there. One is a STRIKEable offense, the other not.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
tangled web of drugs and sex, and murder
◼ Testimony dives into tangled web of drugs and sex in Sanders' case
A friend of 30-year-old McKinleyville man Ezra Sanders, who was shot and killed on Feb. 24, testified that she began to believe that her roommates were behind his death when investigators raided her Eureka house looking for stolen goods weeks later.
Ana Rooney said that during the search, investigators asked her if she knew Sanders, and she recalled hearing her “best friend” Jeffrey Alan Burgess talking about burning his clothes the day of the killing. Rooney testified that she began to feel responsible for Sanders' death because, if it weren't for her, he would not have become acquainted with her roommates and friends who investigators claim killed Sanders.
”I was sick to my stomach,” Rooney said in tears. “I wanted to die ... . I am not a monster and I do not believe this was right.”
...Rooney also testified that Sanders wasn't treated well at the Lewis Street house, where he showed up to buy and use drugs, and meet with Williams. She described Williams as flaunting herself and engaging in sex to secure drugs from a number of men.
Rooney said that she never told anyone at the Lewis Street house that Sanders was carrying a large amount of money, because she was afraid he might become a target.
”He liked (Williams), but he didn't trust her,” Rooney said, “and he had very good reason not to.”...
A friend of 30-year-old McKinleyville man Ezra Sanders, who was shot and killed on Feb. 24, testified that she began to believe that her roommates were behind his death when investigators raided her Eureka house looking for stolen goods weeks later.
Ana Rooney said that during the search, investigators asked her if she knew Sanders, and she recalled hearing her “best friend” Jeffrey Alan Burgess talking about burning his clothes the day of the killing. Rooney testified that she began to feel responsible for Sanders' death because, if it weren't for her, he would not have become acquainted with her roommates and friends who investigators claim killed Sanders.
”I was sick to my stomach,” Rooney said in tears. “I wanted to die ... . I am not a monster and I do not believe this was right.”
...Rooney also testified that Sanders wasn't treated well at the Lewis Street house, where he showed up to buy and use drugs, and meet with Williams. She described Williams as flaunting herself and engaging in sex to secure drugs from a number of men.
Rooney said that she never told anyone at the Lewis Street house that Sanders was carrying a large amount of money, because she was afraid he might become a target.
”He liked (Williams), but he didn't trust her,” Rooney said, “and he had very good reason not to.”...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The seedy underbelly
◼ Witness: Sanders' alleged killers involved in meth breaking
◼ Witness: Sanders' alleged killers involved in meth story
Tuesday, the second day of the case's preliminary hearing, Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Detective Troy Garey retook the stand, testifying about an April 9 interview with Mace. He said he'd already interviewed Mace, who was in custody for an unrelated matter, but that Mace contacted him saying he had additional information regarding Sanders' death.
Garey testified that, during the interview, Mace told him that he'd accompanied Burgess, Peredia and Williams to Sanders' trailer park in the early morning hours of Feb. 24. Garey said Mace told him that after entering the park, Peredia exited the vehicle they were riding in to dismantle a streetlight in the park, before they made their way to Sanders' trailer.
Garey said Mace told him that Burgess, who was driving, cut the lights on the truck before pulling up to Sanders' trailer, at which point he, Mace and Peredia got out of the vehicle to approach Sanders' trailer, leaving Williams in the truck as a lookout....
...Sanders' friend Ana Rooney, who also lived with Burgess and Williams, also retook the stand Tuesday, testifying about the world of methamphetamine that surrounded Sanders, and the suspects in the case.
Rooney said she moved into a house on Eureka's Lewis Avenue where she lived with Burgess and Williams from December 2008 until shortly after Sanders' death. She testified that both she and Williams sold methamphetamine at the house. Injecting, smoking and snorting methamphetamine were common occurrences there, she testified, and the house was frequently full of people coming and going, many of them looking to get high.
Rooney testified that she saw Sanders the morning before he was killed, and that he had a lot of cash on him at the time. She testified that on the morning of Feb. 23, she sold Sanders an ounce of methamphetamine for $1,400, and that he repaid her $300 she'd lent him and that he loaned her an additional $1,200 to help her pay off a drug debt.
Previously, Sanders had never bought more than $20 of methamphetamine at a time, Rooney testified, adding that Sanders told her he was buying the ounce to give to a woman who owed him money with the hope that she could sell it, repay him and also earn some extra money to provide for her children.
The morning that Sanders was shot, Rooney testified that she noticed Peredia, Mace and Williams return to the house, noticed them stripping off clothing and overheard Burgess say they had to burn what they had been wearing. Rooney said she initially thought Burgess was joking.
”I was in my room doing drugs and I wasn't too into what everyone else was doing,” Rooney said....
Prosecutor Ben McLaughlin
◼ Witness: Sanders' alleged killers involved in meth story
Tuesday, the second day of the case's preliminary hearing, Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Detective Troy Garey retook the stand, testifying about an April 9 interview with Mace. He said he'd already interviewed Mace, who was in custody for an unrelated matter, but that Mace contacted him saying he had additional information regarding Sanders' death.
Garey testified that, during the interview, Mace told him that he'd accompanied Burgess, Peredia and Williams to Sanders' trailer park in the early morning hours of Feb. 24. Garey said Mace told him that after entering the park, Peredia exited the vehicle they were riding in to dismantle a streetlight in the park, before they made their way to Sanders' trailer.
Garey said Mace told him that Burgess, who was driving, cut the lights on the truck before pulling up to Sanders' trailer, at which point he, Mace and Peredia got out of the vehicle to approach Sanders' trailer, leaving Williams in the truck as a lookout....
...Sanders' friend Ana Rooney, who also lived with Burgess and Williams, also retook the stand Tuesday, testifying about the world of methamphetamine that surrounded Sanders, and the suspects in the case.
Rooney said she moved into a house on Eureka's Lewis Avenue where she lived with Burgess and Williams from December 2008 until shortly after Sanders' death. She testified that both she and Williams sold methamphetamine at the house. Injecting, smoking and snorting methamphetamine were common occurrences there, she testified, and the house was frequently full of people coming and going, many of them looking to get high.
Rooney testified that she saw Sanders the morning before he was killed, and that he had a lot of cash on him at the time. She testified that on the morning of Feb. 23, she sold Sanders an ounce of methamphetamine for $1,400, and that he repaid her $300 she'd lent him and that he loaned her an additional $1,200 to help her pay off a drug debt.
Previously, Sanders had never bought more than $20 of methamphetamine at a time, Rooney testified, adding that Sanders told her he was buying the ounce to give to a woman who owed him money with the hope that she could sell it, repay him and also earn some extra money to provide for her children.
The morning that Sanders was shot, Rooney testified that she noticed Peredia, Mace and Williams return to the house, noticed them stripping off clothing and overheard Burgess say they had to burn what they had been wearing. Rooney said she initially thought Burgess was joking.
”I was in my room doing drugs and I wasn't too into what everyone else was doing,” Rooney said....
Prosecutor Ben McLaughlin
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Prelim in Sanders case
◼ Preliminary hearing gets under way in Sanders case
”It's called felony murder, and the idea is that if you participate in a felony, and a killing results, then you are as responsible as anyone else for the killing,” Levine said in a previous interview with the Times-Standard. “Once you start down the road of participating in a felony, you are responsible for whatever results.”
Interesting that that notion appears here in this case, but now in the last case to be profiled here.
...Back in April, four suspects were arrested in the case and charged with Sanders' murder: Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka; Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans; Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka; and Tracy Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka. All four have pleaded not guilty....
Anyway... testimony today:
Ana Rooney, who described herself as a friend of Sanders' and Burgess', as well as a housemate of Williams', said she saw Sanders early in the morning of Feb. 23 when the two got high together, and that Sanders had a lot of cash on him at the time. Rooney testified that she also acted as a middle man, helping Sanders buy an ounce of methamphetamine for $1,400 that day.
After meeting Sanders to give him the methamphetamine around 10 a.m. on Feb. 23, Rooney said she never saw Sanders again, telling the court she learned he had been shot and killed the next day when told by a friend.
While on the stand, Rooney also testified that Williams and Sanders were involved in a relationship together around the time of his death.
”Their relationship was of a sexual nature,” Rooney testified.
After testifying at length about drug use and sales, under cross-examination Rooney accepted an offer from Superior Court Judge Timothy Cissna to appoint her an attorney with whom she could discuss her rights. Patrik Griego was then appointed to represent Rooney, who is expected to retake the stand this morning.
Garey also took the stand briefly Monday, testifying about arriving at the crime scene in the early morning hours of Feb. 24, and of his initial interviews with Burgess and Williams. He is also expected to retake the stand today.
”It's called felony murder, and the idea is that if you participate in a felony, and a killing results, then you are as responsible as anyone else for the killing,” Levine said in a previous interview with the Times-Standard. “Once you start down the road of participating in a felony, you are responsible for whatever results.”
Interesting that that notion appears here in this case, but now in the last case to be profiled here.
...Back in April, four suspects were arrested in the case and charged with Sanders' murder: Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka; Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans; Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka; and Tracy Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka. All four have pleaded not guilty....
Anyway... testimony today:
Ana Rooney, who described herself as a friend of Sanders' and Burgess', as well as a housemate of Williams', said she saw Sanders early in the morning of Feb. 23 when the two got high together, and that Sanders had a lot of cash on him at the time. Rooney testified that she also acted as a middle man, helping Sanders buy an ounce of methamphetamine for $1,400 that day.
After meeting Sanders to give him the methamphetamine around 10 a.m. on Feb. 23, Rooney said she never saw Sanders again, telling the court she learned he had been shot and killed the next day when told by a friend.
While on the stand, Rooney also testified that Williams and Sanders were involved in a relationship together around the time of his death.
”Their relationship was of a sexual nature,” Rooney testified.
After testifying at length about drug use and sales, under cross-examination Rooney accepted an offer from Superior Court Judge Timothy Cissna to appoint her an attorney with whom she could discuss her rights. Patrik Griego was then appointed to represent Rooney, who is expected to retake the stand this morning.
Garey also took the stand briefly Monday, testifying about arriving at the crime scene in the early morning hours of Feb. 24, and of his initial interviews with Burgess and Williams. He is also expected to retake the stand today.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Captured
◼ TS Breaking News Fourth suspect in Sanders' killing in jail
An alleged fourth perpetrator in the February killing of a McKinleyville man was arrested on a $1 million murder warrant in Crescent City Tuesday.
Tracy Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka was arrested without incident by Crescent City police at 2:30 p.m. on suspicion of murder at an A Street apartment there. She was booked into Humboldt County jail Tuesday night.
Humboldt County District Attorney and Sheriff's Office investigators issued a warrant for Williams' arrest early this month. Williams was allegedly among four people who were involved in killing 30-year-old Ezra Sanders at his residence in the Widow White Creek RV Park in McKinleyville.
An alleged fourth perpetrator in the February killing of a McKinleyville man was arrested on a $1 million murder warrant in Crescent City Tuesday.
Tracy Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka was arrested without incident by Crescent City police at 2:30 p.m. on suspicion of murder at an A Street apartment there. She was booked into Humboldt County jail Tuesday night.
Humboldt County District Attorney and Sheriff's Office investigators issued a warrant for Williams' arrest early this month. Williams was allegedly among four people who were involved in killing 30-year-old Ezra Sanders at his residence in the Widow White Creek RV Park in McKinleyville.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
At large W/UPDATE
◼ Fourth suspect sought for Sanders killing
Investigators are looking for another suspect believed to be involved in the Feb. 24 slaying of Ezra Sanders in McKinleyville.
After announcing it had three suspects in custody over the weekend, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said today that it is seeking Tracy Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka, a fourth suspect who is still at large and alleged to have been involved in Sanders' killing. Williams stands about 5 feet 1 inch tall, with blue eyes and blonde hair, weighing about 120 pounds.
An arrest warrant for murder has been issued in Williams' name.
Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka, is alleged to have killed Sanders, but Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Orleans, and Ruben Anthony Peredia, 32, of Eureka, join him in facing a murder charge in the case, which a legal expert said is common....
...Garey said investigators have reason to believe that Burgess, Peredia, Mace and Williams traveled from Eureka to McKinleyville in a stolen truck, armed with a handgun and a knife, with the intent of robbing their acquaintance Sanders for cash and drugs. After arriving at the trailer park, Peredia, Burgess and Mace allegedly attempted to rob Sanders while Williams remained in the truck as a lookout, according to Garey.
When Sanders resisted the robbery, raising his fists to fight, Burgess allegedly shot him in the chest and the suspects fled the scene without taking anything. ...
...University of California Hastings School of Law professor David Levine said it doesn't matter who pulled the trigger, killing Sanders, if all of the suspects knew they were participating in an attempted armed robbery.
”It's called felony murder, and the idea is that if you participate in a felony, and a killing results, than you are as responsible as anyone else for the killing,” Levine said. “Once you start down the road of participating in a felony, you are responsible for whatever results ... . The chain of causation just gets started, and you are responsible for getting it rolling.”...
UPDATE:
◼ TS Breaking News Fourth suspect in Sanders' killing in jail
An alleged fourth perpetrator in the February killing of a McKinleyville man was arrested on a $1 million murder warrant in Crescent City Tuesday.
Tracy Joleen Williams, 35, of Eureka was arrested without incident by Crescent City police at 2:30 p.m. on suspicion of murder at an A Street apartment there. She was booked into Humboldt County jail Tuesday night.
Humboldt County District Attorney and Sheriff's Office investigators issued a warrant for Williams' arrest early this month. Williams was allegedly among four people who were involved in killing 30-year-old Ezra Sanders at his residence in the Widow White Creek RV Park in McKinleyville.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Good work
◼ Three in custody in Sanders case
Thirty-nine days after Ezra Sanders was gunned down in his McKinleyville trailer, three suspects are in custody and suspected of committing his murder.
Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka; Ruben Anthony Peredia, 33, of Ukiah and Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Arcata, were all booked into Humboldt County jail Friday on suspicion of murder and attempted armed robbery, according to investigators on the case....
...The case caught a break late last month when the Fortuna Police Department recovered a stolen green GMC truck. When Garey and Dunn looked through the stolen/embezzled vehicle report from CHP, they found Burgess listed as the primary suspect.
Mace and Peredia were both taken into custody in March on unrelated cases.
On March 13, Garey and Dunn served a search warrant on a home on Eureka's Lewis Avenue for the Sanders case, and took Mace into custody on an unrelated outstanding warrant.
Similarly, Peredia was taken into custody March 1, after he was involved in a car crash on Kneeland Heights Road that led to his arrest on two outstanding felony warrants, and suspicion of theft. In relation to the Sanders case, investigators also served a search warrant on Peredia's Higgins Street home in Eureka.
Then, this past Friday, after re-interviewing a number of witnesses, Dunn and Garey had Burgess come in for an interview, and they said the picture began to become clear.
”That interview led to his arrest for being the primary person involved (in Sanders' murder),” Dunn said, adding that after Burgess' arrest, Peredia and Mace, both already in custody, were also booked on suspicion of attempted robbery and murder for the Sanders case.
The story that Dunn and Garey have pieced together is that Mace, Ruben and Burgess allegedly conspired to drive from Eureka to McKinleyville in order to use a gun and a knife to rob Sanders, whom they knew, for drugs and money. When Sanders resisted, raising his fists to fight the three men, they allegedly shot him and fled the scene in a panic without taking anything....
...Both Dunn and Garey said assistance from a variety of agencies -- including CHP, the Arcata Police Department, the Trinidad Police Department, the Eureka Police Department, the Fortuna Police Department and the Department of Justice -- was integral in making the case.
UPDATE:
◼ Fourth suspect sought for Sanders killing 4/9/09
Thirty-nine days after Ezra Sanders was gunned down in his McKinleyville trailer, three suspects are in custody and suspected of committing his murder.
Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka; Ruben Anthony Peredia, 33, of Ukiah and Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Arcata, were all booked into Humboldt County jail Friday on suspicion of murder and attempted armed robbery, according to investigators on the case....
...The case caught a break late last month when the Fortuna Police Department recovered a stolen green GMC truck. When Garey and Dunn looked through the stolen/embezzled vehicle report from CHP, they found Burgess listed as the primary suspect.
Mace and Peredia were both taken into custody in March on unrelated cases.
On March 13, Garey and Dunn served a search warrant on a home on Eureka's Lewis Avenue for the Sanders case, and took Mace into custody on an unrelated outstanding warrant.
Similarly, Peredia was taken into custody March 1, after he was involved in a car crash on Kneeland Heights Road that led to his arrest on two outstanding felony warrants, and suspicion of theft. In relation to the Sanders case, investigators also served a search warrant on Peredia's Higgins Street home in Eureka.
Then, this past Friday, after re-interviewing a number of witnesses, Dunn and Garey had Burgess come in for an interview, and they said the picture began to become clear.
”That interview led to his arrest for being the primary person involved (in Sanders' murder),” Dunn said, adding that after Burgess' arrest, Peredia and Mace, both already in custody, were also booked on suspicion of attempted robbery and murder for the Sanders case.
The story that Dunn and Garey have pieced together is that Mace, Ruben and Burgess allegedly conspired to drive from Eureka to McKinleyville in order to use a gun and a knife to rob Sanders, whom they knew, for drugs and money. When Sanders resisted, raising his fists to fight the three men, they allegedly shot him and fled the scene in a panic without taking anything....
...Both Dunn and Garey said assistance from a variety of agencies -- including CHP, the Arcata Police Department, the Trinidad Police Department, the Eureka Police Department, the Fortuna Police Department and the Department of Justice -- was integral in making the case.
UPDATE:
◼ Fourth suspect sought for Sanders killing 4/9/09
Monday, March 02, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Murder in McKinleyville w/update
☛ TS Authorities seek suspect truck in Sanders shooting 3/10/09
According to information released by the Sheriff's Office, investigators are searching for a Chevrolet four-wheel-drive pickup truck from the 1990s, with a standard cab and a two-tone brown color....
The Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information about the vehicle or the case to contact Sheriff's Detective Troy Garey at 268-3643 or Humboldt County District Attorney investigator Steve Dunn at 445-7411.
☛ McK Press Homicide Update Photo of Ezra Charles Sanders, murder victim
(TS photo)
☛ TS Possible gang ties in McKinleyville shooting 3/1/09
☛ TS Police continue investigation into McKinleyville slaying 2/26/09
☛ TS Sheriff's Office reports Sanders was inside trailer during shooting
☛ TS Police probe killing in McKinleyville 2/25/09
☛ TS Apparent murder in McKinleyville2/24/09
☛ TS comments thread
☛ HCSO Press Release2/24/09
***
UPDATE:
◼ Three in custody in Sanders case
Thirty-nine days after Ezra Sanders was gunned down in his McKinleyville trailer, three suspects are in custody and suspected of committing his murder.
Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka; Ruben Anthony Peredia, 33, of Ukiah and Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Arcata, were all booked into Humboldt County jail Friday on suspicion of murder and attempted armed robbery, according to investigators on the case....
...The case caught a break late last month when the Fortuna Police Department recovered a stolen green GMC truck. When Garey and Dunn looked through the stolen/embezzled vehicle report from CHP, they found Burgess listed as the primary suspect.
Mace and Peredia were both taken into custody in March on unrelated cases.
On March 13, Garey and Dunn served a search warrant on a home on Eureka's Lewis Avenue for the Sanders case, and took Mace into custody on an unrelated outstanding warrant.
Similarly, Peredia was taken into custody March 1, after he was involved in a car crash on Kneeland Heights Road that led to his arrest on two outstanding felony warrants, and suspicion of theft. In relation to the Sanders case, investigators also served a search warrant on Peredia's Higgins Street home in Eureka.
Then, this past Friday, after re-interviewing a number of witnesses, Dunn and Garey had Burgess come in for an interview, and they said the picture began to become clear.
”That interview led to his arrest for being the primary person involved (in Sanders' murder),” Dunn said, adding that after Burgess' arrest, Peredia and Mace, both already in custody, were also booked on suspicion of attempted robbery and murder for the Sanders case.
The story that Dunn and Garey have pieced together is that Mace, Ruben and Burgess allegedly conspired to drive from Eureka to McKinleyville in order to use a gun and a knife to rob Sanders, whom they knew, for drugs and money. When Sanders resisted, raising his fists to fight the three men, they allegedly shot him and fled the scene in a panic without taking anything....
...Both Dunn and Garey said assistance from a variety of agencies -- including CHP, the Arcata Police Department, the Trinidad Police Department, the Eureka Police Department, the Fortuna Police Department and the Department of Justice -- was integral in making the case.
According to information released by the Sheriff's Office, investigators are searching for a Chevrolet four-wheel-drive pickup truck from the 1990s, with a standard cab and a two-tone brown color....
The Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information about the vehicle or the case to contact Sheriff's Detective Troy Garey at 268-3643 or Humboldt County District Attorney investigator Steve Dunn at 445-7411.
☛ McK Press Homicide Update Photo of Ezra Charles Sanders, murder victim
(TS photo)☛ TS Possible gang ties in McKinleyville shooting 3/1/09
☛ TS Police continue investigation into McKinleyville slaying 2/26/09
☛ TS Sheriff's Office reports Sanders was inside trailer during shooting
Detectives with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office say an investigation into the Tuesday morning shooting death of Ezra Charles Sanders has revealed the 30-year-old man may have been shot inside his travel trailer.
Early Tuesday morning, Sanders was found deceased, lying across the front porch of his trailer with a single gunshot wound.
According to a Sheriff's Office press release, evidence shows Sanders was not killed in a drive-by shooting.
It appears, according to the release, Sanders walked out of his trailer after his was shot.
☛ TS Police probe killing in McKinleyville 2/25/09
Police began an investigation into the apparent murder of Ezra Charles Sanders, a 30-year-old man found dead Tuesday morning of a single gunshot wound at a McKinleyville trailer park.
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Brenda Godsey said that shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday, witnesses heard a single gunshot echo across the Murray Road trailer park.
When authorities arrived they found Sanders lying outside his trailer. Medical responders later concluded he was apparently shot once by an unknown caliber handgun, Godsey said.
Investigators began interviewing witnesses, who described hearing a vehicle pull up to Sanders' trailer in the night. They reportedly heard the sound of a single gunshot, followed shortly after by the sound of a vehicle speeding away from the scene in an unknown direction, the Sheriff's Office reported. Trailer park residents reportedly approached Sanders' small travel trailer and found him lying across his front porch.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to the call the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office at 445-7251.
☛ TS Apparent murder in McKinleyville2/24/09
☛ TS comments thread
☛ HCSO Press Release2/24/09
***
UPDATE:
◼ Three in custody in Sanders case
Thirty-nine days after Ezra Sanders was gunned down in his McKinleyville trailer, three suspects are in custody and suspected of committing his murder.
Jeffrey Alan Burgess, 39, of Eureka; Ruben Anthony Peredia, 33, of Ukiah and Lukus Larry Mace, 31, of Arcata, were all booked into Humboldt County jail Friday on suspicion of murder and attempted armed robbery, according to investigators on the case....
...The case caught a break late last month when the Fortuna Police Department recovered a stolen green GMC truck. When Garey and Dunn looked through the stolen/embezzled vehicle report from CHP, they found Burgess listed as the primary suspect.
Mace and Peredia were both taken into custody in March on unrelated cases.
On March 13, Garey and Dunn served a search warrant on a home on Eureka's Lewis Avenue for the Sanders case, and took Mace into custody on an unrelated outstanding warrant.
Similarly, Peredia was taken into custody March 1, after he was involved in a car crash on Kneeland Heights Road that led to his arrest on two outstanding felony warrants, and suspicion of theft. In relation to the Sanders case, investigators also served a search warrant on Peredia's Higgins Street home in Eureka.
Then, this past Friday, after re-interviewing a number of witnesses, Dunn and Garey had Burgess come in for an interview, and they said the picture began to become clear.
”That interview led to his arrest for being the primary person involved (in Sanders' murder),” Dunn said, adding that after Burgess' arrest, Peredia and Mace, both already in custody, were also booked on suspicion of attempted robbery and murder for the Sanders case.
The story that Dunn and Garey have pieced together is that Mace, Ruben and Burgess allegedly conspired to drive from Eureka to McKinleyville in order to use a gun and a knife to rob Sanders, whom they knew, for drugs and money. When Sanders resisted, raising his fists to fight the three men, they allegedly shot him and fled the scene in a panic without taking anything....
...Both Dunn and Garey said assistance from a variety of agencies -- including CHP, the Arcata Police Department, the Trinidad Police Department, the Eureka Police Department, the Fortuna Police Department and the Department of Justice -- was integral in making the case.
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