Bruce “Jason” Stallings-Hunsucker to stand trial for murder

◼ Judge: Sufficient evidence for fourth suspect to stand trial in Willow Creek homicide; Stallings-Hunsucker held on murder charge - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard

A judge ruled Wednesday there is sufficient evidence to hold Bruce “Jason” Stallings-Hunsucker to stand trial on a murder charge stemming from the May 2011 shooting death of volunteer fireman Darrell Hanger in Willow Creek.

Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Dale Reinholtsen also found there was probable cause to hold the Hoopa resident to answer to charges of burglary, conspiracy and taking a vehicle without the owner's permission. Reinholtsen did not issue a holding order on charges of attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney David Nims.

Defense attorney Neal Sanders said his client was also not held to answer to a number of special allegations and enhancements that he personally used a firearm in the commission of the charged offenses.

Jason Bruce ‘J-Bird’ Hunsucker's story of the murder of Darrel Hanger Sr.

◼ Man on the Run - tworiverstribune.com via ◼ lostcoastoutpost.com
Hunsucker said he was asked to drive his sister Sonia Hunsucker and her boyfriend Jackson Surber to the residence to burglarize the home. He was driving a stolen vehicle, a 2006 silver Toyota Tacoma, but didn’t say whether or not he was responsible for the theft of the truck.

Hunsucker was with his girlfriend, Samantha Smoker-Machado, who he said came along for the ride, but did not intend to participate in the burglary.

He said they pulled into the driveway, a short paved entrance way about 20 ft. long that connected to a carport.

“Someone with us said something had been moved, so we started to back out,” he said.

Hunsucker said Sonia and Surber had previously burglarized the same residence and went back with the impression that nobody was home.

“Before I could even hit reverse, I seen people running up behind us,” he said. “I locked my door real fast and yelled at everybody else to lock their doors too.”

Hunsucker said he was having a difficult time keeping the vehicle running and placing it in reverse because a screwdriver was used to start the vehicle when it was stolen....read the rest at the link...

Once they arrived at their friend’s house, Hunsucker contacted a family member, who agreed to drive them to Eureka. Hunsucker claims he did not tell his family what happened, but that they had gotten into a wreck.

However, the following day, once they got news that Hanger had died, Hunsucker’s family member in Eureka asked him to leave. He said he then visited a friend in the area that was a physician and his wounds were cleaned.

Questions about who the doctor is...

◼ TRT Editorial: Hunsucker Should Turn Himself In - tworiverstribune.com
Prior coverage:

◼ Hunsucker Outruns Police Wednesday Night
PRESS RELEASE, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department

On June 29, 2011, approximately 10:30 p.m. a Humboldt County Sheriffs Deputy and Hoopa Tribal Police Officer were working in the Hoopa Area when they spotted an All Terrain Vehicle (A.T.V.) traveling southbound on State Route 96, North of Hostler Field Housing. The deputy and tribal officer attempted a traffic stop on the All Terrain Vehicle for vehicle code violations. When the deputy and tribal officer caught up to the All Terrain Vehicle they recognized the driver as wanted murder suspect Bruce Stallings-Hunsucker. Stallings–Hunsucker has a one million dollar murder warrant for his arrest out of Humboldt County Superior Court. The warrant is for his involvement in the killing of Darrell Hanger Sr. in Willow Creek.

After the deputy attempted to stop Stallings-Hunsucker using the patrol cars red light and siren, Stallings-Hunsucker fled on the All Terrain Vehicle, running stop signs and driving on the wrong side of the highway. The deputy and tribal police officers pursued Stallings-Hunsucker who periodically would travel on roads and trails in the area attempting to elude the officers. Stallings-Hunsucker was last seen by Hoopa Tribal Police Officers eastbound, about four miles up Big Hill Road, Hoopa, off Highway 96. Stallings-Hunsucker drove his vehicle off the highway where the patrol vehicles could not follow him. The deputy and Tribal Police officers later located Stalling-Hunsuckers All Terrain Vehicle and Helmet in the brush. They searched the area but could not locate him. Additional charges of felony evasion are being sought against Stallings-Hunsucker.

His description is: Bruce Jason Stallings-Hunsucker, also known as Bruce Hunsucker, 36 years old brown hair, brown eyes, five feet ten inches tall, 185 pounds, unknown clothing description

Anyone with information regarding Stallings-Hunsucker is requested to contact the Sheriffs Office immediately, 707-445-7251.

◼ Hunsucker Escapes Deputies on Quad Down River - tworiverstribune.com
◼ Third Suspect in Hanger Homicide Captured*** - tworiverstribune.com
(***comment on that article includes this: Call the Humboldt County District Attorney- Paul Gallegos- and ask him why Sonia Hunsucker was realeased to terroize when she was arrested in connection to a murder in Eureka just last year- (707) 445-7411. The death of Mr. Hanger could have been prevented had the local police been effective in their duties. Please take a stand. Please fight for justice! Jane Doe Weitchpec, CA)
◼ $1 Million Arrest Warrant for Homicide Suspects - tworiverstribune.com
◼ Sheriff’s Searching for Suspects in Weitchpec Robbery

Third suspect arrested in Willow Creek homicide, robbery case; Bruce Stallings-Hunsucker still at large
05/19/2011 - The third of four suspects sought in a Willow Creek homicide investigation was arrested in Eureka on Tuesday, and deputies are continuing to search for the last one. The Eureka Police Department's...

Hunsucker pleads guilty to eluding officers
01/31/2009 - Sonia Hunsucker, a 28-year-old woman from Eureka, pleaded guilty in Humboldt County Superior Court Thursday to the felony charge of eluding an officer....

$1 million warrants out for Willow Creek shooting suspects
05/11/2011 - A Humboldt County judge issued $1 million arrest warrants Tuesday for Samantha Kristen Machado, aka “Samantha Smoker,” 26, and Bruce Jason Stallings-Hunsucker, 36, both of Eureka....

Reward offered for information into homicide
06/08/2011 - The Willow Creek Volunteer Fire Department is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect sought in a Willow Creek homicide investigation. Three of the...

Investigation into botched burglary continues; victim remembered as a “wonderful father” and an “upstanding man”
05/07/2011 - 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 at a residence on the 400 block of Sunset...

Humboldt County Sheriff's Office still searching for suspects in Willow Creek homicide; memorial service for Darrell Hanger Sr. set for this Saturday
05/10/2011 - 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...

Murder suspect spotted, remains at large
05/21/2011 - The last outstanding suspect sought in a Willow Creek homicide investigation was spotted by law enforcement Friday, prompting an unsuccessful search by the California Highway Patrol and the Humboldt...

Three wanted after home invasion in Weitchpec
04/12/2011 - The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office is searching for three suspects believed to have been involved in an armed home invasion robbery Sunday night in Weitchpec. At about 8:30 p.m., deputies were...

Eureka woman arrested after high speed chase
01/23/2009 - A high speed chase from Del Norte into Humboldt County ended Thursday with the alleged driver of a stolen vehicle, who reportedly drove the wrong way on Highway 101 in an attempt to evade...

Samantha Machado, also known as Samantha Smoker arrested in Willow Creek killing

◼ Third suspect arrested in Willow Creek killing Times Standard
Samantha Machado, also known as Samantha Smoker, who was wanted on a homicide warrant, was taken into custody without incident near a residence in the 600 block of West Del Norte Street in Eureka at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The POP team, investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and EPD detectives continued the investigation and served a search warrant at the residence, which Machado had been seen leaving. A fourth outstanding suspect, Bruce “Jason” Hunsucker, was not located during the search and is still outstanding. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Bail is a million bucks, and they're still looking for Bruce “Jason” Hunsucker - know where he is? Call Detective R. Schlesiger or S. Quenell at 445-7251.

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?