Woman Found Fatally Shot at Illegal Cannabis Grow on the Outskirts of Covelo Thursday
Mendocino County Sheriff's Office has provides additional details about the investigation
A 31-year-old woman was found dead Thursday night inside a pickup truck at what authorities described as a large illegal marijuana cultivation site northwest of Covelo, prompting a multi-agency homicide investigation.
According to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 22000 block of Rifle Range Road at approximately 9 p.m. on July 9 after receiving a 911 call from a woman who reported finding a deceased family member.
The caller told dispatchers the victim was inside a vehicle. Deputies who were already in Covelo responded with emergency lights and sirens, arriving about 15 minutes later. They found the victim inside a silver 2007 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck and confirmed she was dead at approximately 9:17 p.m.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies observed what looked like numerous bullet holes in the pickup, and the victim appeared to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators said family members had been searching for the woman for several hours before learning she might be on Rifle Range Road.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that multiple suspects appear to have been involved. They are releasing limited information to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
The agencies involved in the investigation included the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office, the County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Team, and criminalists from the California Department of Justice’s Eureka laboratory.
Anyone with information related to the homicide is encouraged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office by calling the non-emergency tip line at 707-234-2100.