Ukiah Man Booked for the Killing of 55-Year-Old Woman Police Say was His Friend

The following is a press release issued by the Ukiah Police Department. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:

On 03-22-2022 at approximately 1:09 PM, EMS was summoned to an apartment located at 237 E.  Gobbi St., regarding a reported possible overdose. EMS’ dispatch contacted UPD and advised the reporting party’s description of the subject’s condition sounded suspicious and requested UPD respond as well. UVFA  arrived at the location prior to UPD and entered the apartment, with the assistance of the on-site apartment complex manager. UVFA personnel found a 55-year-old female, the resident, on the floor in the bathroom and determined she was deceased. UPD arrived on-scene and also entered the apartment.  

Officers observed obvious signs of a struggle inside the apartment, as well as what appeared to be trauma to the face of the decedent, as well as other indications the subject had been killed. This was deemed to be a suspicious death and an investigation commenced. A crime scene was established and the Mendocino  County District Attorney’s Office Investigators were summoned to assist. The California Department of  Justice (DOJ) was also contacted and were requested to respond to assist with processing of the apartment for evidence.  

Throughout the initial investigation it was learned Drew Price, who was familiar to the apartment complex staff, was contacted inside the decedent’s apartment earlier that morning. Price and the decedent were friends and it was not uncommon to find them associating with one another. Both Price and the decedent were in good condition at that time. 

At approximately 12:30 PM, staff associated with the decedent arrived at the apartment to contact her.  As they arrived at the apartment, Price was seen walking eastbound on E. Gobbi St. near the entrance to the complex. The staff received no answer from the decedent at her apartment door. They contacted the manager,  who in turn met them at the apartment. Both attempted to contact the decedent via a rear door of the apartment. It was at this time that the manager found the decedent inside the apartment and the call was placed to 911. 

Video surveillance was reviewed, as well as witnesses interviewed. This revealed Price was the only person seen leaving the apartment between the time the manager contacted him and the decedent in the morning and the time that the staff located her deceased and then called 911. Price was seen exiting the decedent’s apartment minutes prior to being seen by the staff walking on E. Gobbi Street. 

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Based on the investigative leads, it was determined Price needed to be located as there was probable cause to believed he was responsible for the death of the victim. Throughout the next hours, UPD personnel actively attempted to locate Price. At approximately 4:11 PM, UPD personnel were searching the Riverside  Park, located at 1281 E. Gobbi Street. Price was located in the far southeast portion of the park, near the river  and was taken into custody without incident. Price was subsequently booked at the MCSO Jail for a violation of 187(a) PC – Murder, where he is held without bail. 

UPD personnel maintained the crime scene overnight and DOJ personnel arrived on the morning of 03- 23-2022. At the time of this press release, the scene is still being processed and a motive for the murder is unknown. Identification of the decedent is pending notification of next of kin. 

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact UPD’s Detective Bureau. 

As always, our mission at UPD is to make Ukiah as safe a place as possible. If you would like to know  more about crime in your neighborhood, you can sign up for telephone, cellphone, and email notifications by  clicking the Nixle button on our website; www.ukiahpolice.com  

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