Thursday, November 21, 2024

Mendocino Coast Homicide: Victim Identified, Suspect Released on Bail

Kevin Taeuffer, the man killed on July 11, 2024, on the Mendocino County Coast [Photograph provided by his friend Ilona Mary]

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim in a recent homicide that took place near the coastal town of Point Arena as Kevin Taeuffer, a 54-year-old man from Annapolis, California. 

According to a press release, Taeuffer’s next of kin have been notified, and an autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The official cause of death will be determined following the autopsy and toxicology reports.

The incident occurred on July 11, 2024, at approximately 8:06 PM, when the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from 47-year-old Pan Jasper Brady. Authorities allege Brady reported that he had shot Taeuffer during an argument. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers found Taeuffer deceased from at least one gunshot wound. Brady was detained and later arrested on charges of homicide and using a firearm during the commission of a homicide. He was booked into the Mendocino County Jail with bail set at $1,000,000.

Pan Jasper Brady [Mugshot from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office]

Despite Brady’s initial arrest, he was released from county jail on a $500,000 bail bond the following day. The Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office has yet to file formal charges against him.

Taeuffer’s friend, Ilona Mary, spoke fondly of him, describing Taeuffer as “an awesome person” who was very hardworking. “He loved the outdoors, enjoyed working with trees, and had just come back from helping his best friend with palm tree trimming in Phoenix,” Mary said. “He was always making jokes and laughing. My children called him ‘Papa Kevin.'”

Kevin Taeuffer with a mushroom [Photograph provided by his friend Ilona Mary]

Mary expressed frustration over the lack of charges filed against Brady. “This is bullshit if that rich disrespectful guy gets away with this,” she said.

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The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case. They urge anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s Office Detectives at 707-463-4086 or provide anonymous tips via the non-emergency tip line at 707-234-2100.

It must be stated that the charges have not been proven in a court of law. In accordance with the legal principle of the presumption of innocence, any individual described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.


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2 COMMENTS

    • It is telling that the DA hasn’t filed charges yet. Either evidence is lacking, or they have information that paints the deceased as the aggressor. I guess you’ll just have to be patient if you want answers. But of course we’ll probably never know the full truth.

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Matt LaFever
Matt LaFeverhttps://mendofever.com/
For the past seven years, Matt LaFever has covered the North Coast of California in both print and radio news. A Humboldt State graduate, he has lived in the Emerald Triangle for nearly 20 years. His reporting spans local issues like crime and wildfires. When not writing, Matt is an avid outdoorsman, exploring Northern California’s rugged landscapes. Reach out to him at matthewplafever@gmail.com.

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