The following is a press released from 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 12-07-2020 at about 5:45 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 32000 block of Shimmins Ridge Road in Willits, California.
Deputies were told Deanna Renfort was at the location damaging a gate trying to access the property. While responding to the location a second caller advised Renfort was armed with a machete and associated with a green Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).
Deputies arrived and found an electronic gate had been damaged. They proceeded down the narrow dirt driveway about a mile and located a green Toyota SUV parked in front of another locked gate.
The Deputies contacted Renfort, whom they knew from prior contacts, by the locked gate.
Deputies noticed a large amount of tools, which included a hacksaw, wire cutters, pry bar, and other hand tools (violation of 466 PC Burglary tools), at the base of the gate on the ground. Deputies further noticed the chain to the gate was partially cut.
On the front driver’s side seat of the SUV, Deputies noticed a large machete. On the driver’s side floor board, they located an approximately 15″ long wooden stick, with numerous metal screws sticking out of it. It appeared the only purpose for this weapon was to inflict injury upon someone (violation of 22210 PC).
Deputies determined through probable cause that Renfort had used the tools to gain access through the electronic gate on a neighboring property to ultimately gain access to her property.
During the contact Deputies discovered Renfort had two misdemeanor warrants for her arrest and was on summary probation.
Renfort was arrested for all the above listed charges and booked into the Mendocino County Jail.
In accordance with the COVID-19 emergency order issued by the State of California Judicial Council, bail was set at zero dollars for Renfort and she was released after the jail booking process.
Please visit the following link to hear Sheriff Matthew C. Kendall provide a Public Safety Message on the current COVID-19 emergency order related to zero bail:
