This article includes a graphic description from one of the victims which may be difficult for some readers.
The Sonoma County Probation Department’s sentencing recommendation for former Ukiah Police Sergeant Kevin Murray called for stricter treatment than he received, including a note that he could have been ordered to register as a sex offender. Instead, Murray was given two years of formal probation, with a two-year suspended sentence
Murray was originally charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, burglaries, and narcotics possession. The sentencing report details how he admitted to disguising his identity to send sexually suggestive text messages to a woman known as S.Y., who was staying at a Ukiah hotel room in December of 2020. She said she barricaded the door against him, but that he used a stolen key and forced his way in, before demanding that she perform a sex act on him. Yet, in the court case, all charges in the encounter with S.Y. were dismissed, and Murray pled no contest to the felony of preventing or dissuading a victim from reporting a crime.
A month after the encounter with S.Y, in January of 2021, Murray was notified that he would be placed on administrative leave. Investigators searched his locker and found a plastic glove as well as a small metal canister containing methamphetamine that he said he had neglected to book into evidence. He was arrested on January 27, 2021. The City of Ukiah settled with S.Y. for $250,000 and admitted no wrongdoing. Also in 2021, the City settled with a man named Christopher Rasku for over a million dollars as a result of Murray breaking into his home and beating him in October 2018.
Allegations of criminal conduct went back to 2014, when Murray was accused of twice raping another woman, known as Jane Doe, in her own home, once while armed. He pled no contest to misdemeanor false imprisonment in that matter.
But Jane Doe got scant attention in the sentencing recommendation. The report states that, because the probation department never received documents relating to the crimes against her,
“we cannot take into account any of the conduct involving victim Jane Doe from the 2014 incident(s), with the sole exception being the impact statement that she has provided.” During sentencing, Judge Ann Moorman invited Jane Doe to make her statement verbally, but the woman was attending remotely, and loud electronic feedback prevented her from being heard.
In her written impact statement, Jane Doe provides graphic descriptions of the assaults she says she endured, and chastises the courts and prosecutor for not dealing with Murray more firmly. She wrote that, “I have horrid nightmares of rapist Kevin Murray shoving himself in my mouth whereby I cannot speak or breathe, the horror of him raping me, with his cop gun. While rapist Kevin Murray forces me down on my bed, with his heavy body. Your Honor I cannot explain to you how many hundreds of times I have screamed while sleeping begging, “Do not kill me!” This has caused me severe isolation and loneliness.” She asked that Murray be sentenced to jail, and specified two sex offender therapy programs that she thought would be beneficial. She described the effect of the long-drawn-out legal proceedings, writing that, “During the last year it has been so difficult to remain calm. Always a change of court dates for his rape trial. Not having the Mendocino County court system take this case seriously enough is another grievance I have…Another blow to me on an emotional and physical level was the sweetheart deal handed to rapist Kevin Murray, as I heard about it I fell down on my kitchen floor and cried. My only question being, “Will rapist Kevin Murray have to register as a sex offender?” Mendocino County DA’s office answered, “No.” Gut punch, gut punch, gut punch!”
The report notes more than once that Murray declined to discuss the circumstances of the original crimes against S.Y., but declares that, “The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning;” and that as a police officer, he “took advantage of a position of trust or confidence to commit the crime.”
In a subsequent interview with us, Kris Hoyer, who is in charge of investigations at the Sonoma County Probation Department, explained that, “Any time we are missing a piece of information, we put that note on the front page,” to alert concerned parties and give them an opportunity to provide relevant documentation.
However, Sonoma County Probation Department Deputy Chief Wardell Anderson, who was also present at the interview, added that his department did not receive a response to that note from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s office, which was prosecuting the case. They explained that the prosecuting attorney and the judge have the authority to extend the deadline if more information becomes available late in the process of drawing up the sentencing recommendation.
The sentencing recommendation notes that, “the Court could order the defendant to register per 290 PC, if the Court finds at the time of sentencing that the defendant committed the offenses as a result of sexual compusion or for purposes of sexual gratification.”
On August 30, Moorman sentenced Murray to two years probation, with a two-year suspended sentence to be served in state prison if he violates the terms. Though he will be required to attend counseling for sex offenders, he is not required to register as a sex offender. This was particularly painful for victim Jane Doe.
Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster and Deputy DA Heidi Larson did not respond to an email query as to why their office did not argue for that condition during sentencing.
In response to the question of why Moorman did not order Murray to register as a sex offender, Mendocino County Court CEO Kim Turner wrote in an email that, “the Code of Judicial Ethics prohibits judges from giving their insights, reasoning or any other information beyond what the judge stated publicly as part of the official court record. Accordingly, the information you have already reviewed is all that is available.”
During her opening comments at Murray’s sentencing, Larson told the court that “It is a bit dismaying to the People that Sonoma County did not get Jane Doe’s report.” But Anderson and Hoyer said their office never received a response to their note about the missing material, and they had no idea that the District Attorney was dismayed about it.
The sentencing recommendation became available to public inspection at the Ukiah courthouse for sixty days only, starting on the day that Moorman finalized Murray’s sentence, which was September 14. After sixty days, the record will be sealed.
Our Coverage of Kevin Murray Since the Beginning
Sarah keep digging! DA is dirty UPD dirty Mendocino residents should be worried.
This town has gone to shit! No respect for UPD the beatings, rape,Chief getting fiired ther sweeping all of it under the rug.
Absolutely correct …. This place is a sh** hole now, we are moving asap
Very insightful article, thanks for your reporting! Heartbroken for the woman who has continually suffered at the hands of our “trusted” public officials. These back scratching bastards have no sense of responsibility to the public they serve. There’s no transparency either. I wonder why? Is it because of the high level of integrity & honesty in which they conduct OUR business? This is just flat out criminal behavior by our courts & DA office! When the men & woman elected & hired to serve & protect our best interests have abandoned those duties for their own self interests, we are in deep trouble!…
PS: Can’t wait to hear your take on this article Mr. Koepf! This isn’t a Geniela report. Let’s read what left wing political agenda makes these truths not worth printing.
The record will be sealed, meaning like this whole thing never happened and no one ever can look at it again? Like potential future employers who should be aware of what they are getting? Especially in an officer position. What the hell?
I didn’t realize that the justice system in Mendocino County was criminally compromised to this degree. When the police are allowed to rape women and walk free, the entire county is degraded to an uninhabitable cesspool.
To add further disgrace to the matter, the County pays the victim “compensation” for her ill treatment from a police officer from the public’s own tax derived funds! What a sorry travesty of justice.
It is past time for State and/or Federal action to be initiated in this matter. Who among county and local officials will move forward for justice in this case and who among them will further disgrace themselves, their public office and the law enforcement and judicial honor of Mendocino County?
He looks like the Rapist criminal that he is and that throws shade on the elected officials stated in the article ..they protected the Rapist..remember that when your ballot gets filled out at election time folks
When is the next protest outside the courthouse? How would one find that information out without having Facebook?
What a discrace!! How much did he pay that judge! I’ve known men who have DONE MUCH LESS and had to register! The judicial system is s fricking JOKE!
You don’t have to pay anyone in this county, just belong to the good old boys.
I can not believe that the residents of Mendocino county aren’t up in arms over this. This county has went to hell in a hand basket and probably no doubt being ran by a distant relative of Gavin Newsom or pelosi! How sick can one be to allow this to happen?? People like this reoffend and the out come is much worse. Probation is a joke and no doubt won’t keep track of him very well. Get it together Mendocino county!
This is complete bull**it. This is a violent criminal. & NO JAIL TIME? I already know this story & his history, but I continue to be shocked & appalled. & its infuriating to say the least. Every time I see his face I get pissed off… I’m so sorry to all his victims. I cant even imagine the anxiety & horror you must be living. Praying for your healing, from the bottom of my heart .
And let’s not forget the unscrupulous and dastardly way Eyster treated former Mendocino County Probation Officer Amanda Carley who had repeatedly been beaten up on by her former live-in boyfriend, former Ukiah police chief Noble Waidelich. At one point her daughter who witnessed one incident calls the cops, but she, sadly too typical for many domestic violence victims, denies anything happened. A few weeks later a Sheriff’s deputy comes around for a follow up and she finally tells him that yes, something happened and that the guy’s been beating up on me for years. So the deputy files a report with the DA, but not only does Eyster not file against Noble, he puts Carly on the Brady List of dishonest cops and LE who lie, plant evidence and engage in dishonest conduct etc in their official capacity.
But if her admitted lie was her first statement that Noble DIDN’T batter her, then why didn’t Eyster charge him? The only reasonable conclusion is that he was colluding with Noble to retaliate against Carly who ended up losing her job because of this. How despicable is that? Oh, like I had no discretion Eyster goes, baloney! What a grotesque abuse of power from someone who obviously could care less about domestic violence victims and whose primary consideration is his own career and his links with the good ‘ol boys he sees as central to that. And obviously domestic violence victim accommodation syndrome that DAs are supposedly trained to recognize is also not something he takes seriously either. I used to respect Eyster and voted for him at one point, but no longer. He should resign or be recalled. Based on this and the Murray case, the BOS can start by passing a vote of no confidence in his leadership. Anyone who retaliates against victims should not remain in office as DA. He should also be reported to the State Bar as well.
Eyester should be shamed out of town or better yet be serving time in prison for being an accessory to rape.
There is no doubt this pervert will re-offend. But he will be more careful not to be caught. It’s sad, someone out there is his next victim.
Good job DA & Judge.
This county needs a Dirty Harry to take care of what the courts won’t.