The investigation into a fire that destroyed a house in Mendocino County has turned into a murder case. On Friday, the remains of Linda Mercurio who lived at the home were found in the rubble after the fire, which happened last Tuesday morning in Little River. Crews responding to the fire say they saw the woman’s son come out of the nearby woods in an “altered state.” Police later searched those woods and found Fletcher Pinkham’s guns, ammunition, clothes, and vehicle, before arresting him. Investigators say evidence shows Pinkham may have shot his mother to death then set the fire to destroy evidence. Pinkham, who has been charged with murder, is due in court this morning. It’s not Pinkham’s first brush with the law, he was accused of stabbing a 17 year old back in 2005 during a botched drug deal.
A man suspected of robbing several businesses in Lake and Mendocino County has been arrested. Tyron Brennen was taken into custody on Friday in Lakeport. Police have connected Brennen to a string of commercial burglaries dating back to November of 2023. Investigators said Brennen targeted gas stations and mini marts and broke into safes and ATMs at several locations in both counties. He allegedly used a power saw to cut through exterior walls to get inside the businesses. He was tracked and eventually caught thanks to video surveillance footage. Burglary tools and a collapsible ladder were found during a search of Brennen’s vehicle.
Police are identifying a woman that was killed last week when she tried to cross a road in Lake County. April Magri was walking from the south to the north side of State Route 20 last Wednesday evening while it was raining. She was hit by an oncoming car. Medics were unable to revive Magri, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 12 year old Willits girl who went missing on Friday has been found. Payton Maxfield went to a neighbor’s house on Friday evening and asked for a ride to her dad’s because he forgot to pick her up from school, according to Maxfield’s aunt Danielle Mercado. According to Mercado, the neighbor dropped Maxfield off at the home of a family member that did not have visitation rights to the child. The girl’s father went to the home with police, but did not find anyone inside. According to an update around 10pm, Payton was reportedly found safe and was under the care of Child Protective Services.
Mendocino County residents should be on the lookout for some road work this week on Route 1. On Wednesday crews will be doing some electrical work just south of Gallaway at Signal Port Creek Road. Traffic will be down to one lane from 9am to 2pm, you can expect delays through the work zone. Emergency work also continues on Route 1 at Frog Pond Road this week. It’s down to one lane from 8am to 6:30pm daily.
The 40th annual Clearlake Oaks Catfish Derby is coming up. It’s a one of a kind event that attracts about a thousand anglers and their families to the area. The Derby will be held at the Clearlake Oaks fire Station from May 17th to the 19th. There will be 10 thousand dollars in prizes up for grabs. On site registration will start at noon on May 16th, but advanced registration is already open online.
One of California’s most polluted properties will finally get cleaned up soon. The EPA has stepped in to start the $94 million project that aims to reduce the toxic threat at a site along the shore of Clear Lake. The Sulfur Bank Mine was a mercury mine that operated from the 1860s until the late 1950s. Gold miners used its mercury to separate gold from ore during the gold rush. Today the site of the mine is listed as an EPA Superfund Site. Its 160 acres are contaminated by arsenic, mercury, and other toxins. In November, the EPA approved the cleanup project, partly funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law. Work is scheduled to start in 2025 and officials said they hope the project is finished by 2029.
There will be a community wide gathering on March 30th to honor late Mendocino county Superior Court Judge David Nelson. Nelson passed away on February 17th at the age of 77. He was a Minnesota native who moved to Mendocino County in 1974 after getting his law degree. The community gathering will be held from 2 to 4pm on March 30th at SPACE on West Perkins Street in Ukiah.
The Grindstone Ranger District and Stonyford OHV trails lifted their wet weather trail closures on Friday. Officials said they worked on maintenance on several of the trails last week while the weather dried out. The Forest Order for the Upper Lake Ranger District is still in effect. Deer Valley Campground and OHV trails are still closed due to storm damage. Officials hope to provide an update on conditions soon. Trail users can check the Forest Service website for the latest updates.
