The following is a press release from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:
On 06-29-2024 at approximately 1107 hours, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center began receiving calls from several residents in the area of the 5200 block of Blue Lake Road, within the Brooktrails Township in Willits, CA. Callers were reporting a male subject causing a disturbance in the area, with the sounds of yelling and possibly fighting.
Sheriff’s Office Deputies were not in the immediate area, and they arrived approximately 20 minutes after the initial calls to Dispatch. Upon arrival, and at the request of one caller, the responding deputies went to a house in the 5200 block of Blue Lake Road to check on the resident. Upon arrival at the residence, Deputies observed that the front windows appeared to be broken out, and there was apparent blood in and around the front of the house. Deputies checked the residence and located a female victim inside the living room who appeared to have suffered injuries likely caused by a violent assault. Deputies ensured there were no further victims or individuals in the residence and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and administered first aid while summoning emergency medical assistance.
The 77-year-old female victim succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. While deputies were at the scene, a vehicle arrived and the suspect, Michael Coleman, was in the passenger seat. Deputies determined there was evidence that Coleman was involved in the violent assault and detained him at the scene without incident. Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives were summoned to the scene to take over the investigation. Coleman was ultimately booked into the Mendocino County Jail on a charge of Homicide (187(a) PC) where he is being held on a no-bail status. This case is actively being investigated and will likely result in additional charges being requested through the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office. The final cause and manner of death is pending an autopsy and toxicology reports.
Investigators from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office, Ukiah Police Department, Willits Police Department, California Highway Patrol, CalFire Prevention Law Enforcement personnel, the California Department of Justice Crime Lab in Santa Rosa, and Department of Justice Criminalists from Sacramento are all assisting with this ongoing investigation.
Anybody with information related to this investigation is encouraged to call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 707-463-4086. Information can also be provided anonymously by utilizing the non-emergency tip-line at 707-234-2100.
20 minutes could have saved her ?
Kinda think 20 minutes is a quick responce for county law enforcement. Out in Comptche it can be over and hour. For a long time on the coast there was no deputy from 11pm to 7am. Plus law enforcement has no duty under the letter of the law to protect the individual. Yes it is nice when they do, but that is not their job. That is up to the individual.
Protect and serve is part of their motto. What does protect mean?
They don’t want to protect. Protecting a victim doesn’t land on the news. That’s why when you call them about a break in at 6am with a stranger in your home it takes them 2 hours to arrive. By then the suspect (if the actual victim is able to fend for themselves) becomes the victim. The victim becomes the suspect. Then they can make an arrest and that is what gets put in the mug shots with a version of the sheriff’s story for the news. Mean while the real suspect gets to walk free and continue to do more crime.
I’m not making this shit up people.
It’s gonna get worse with them trying to take our guns away.
This is not what happened. If this is an official press release from MCSO, it is incorrect. Michael was in the victims house when deputies arrived. He did not arrive as a passenger in a car. They did not arrive in 20 minutes, more like 30. No sirens were sounded. Only one deputy arrived on the scene. Two neighbors, father and son, came to try and help the victim before LE arrived. They waited at the victims house for LE. They are not mentioned in this report. This official press statement is not stating all the true facts. I am a neighbor and witness. I don’t know why they wouldn’t report the truth.
They need to do another press release where they tell the truth!!.. a lot of people with blood on their hands, on this one….really sad!!
Why does the headline read “… in Willits”?
5200 block of Blue Lake road is miles outside of the willits city limits, and Brooktrails is not & never has been part of the City of Willits.
It should read “…in Brooktrails,” or “north of Willits,” or similar.
Runs in the family I see. His younger brother is Christopher Coleman he shot and killed the owner of the brooktrails store.