[UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: Response From Humboldt County DA] Mother of Josiah Lawson Claims DNA on Knife Identifies her Son’s ‘Murderer’, Calls for Justice

Charmaine Lawsonhug at david lawson's funeral

Charmaine Lawson receives a hug from a friend of her son at his celebration of life in Arcata in 2017. [Photo by Mark McKenna]

This morning, Charmaine Lawson posted on the Justice for David Josiah Lawson Facebook page, “The Department of justice [has] identified my son’s DNA on the knife, that was used to stab him to death. They have also identify my sons murderer on the knife, yet the case is still being reviewed. Where is the justice?” 

Her son, David Josiah Lawson, a Humboldt State University student, died after being stabbed at a party in Arcata on April 15, 2017. The case has highlighted racial tensions in the community and led to the departure of the former Arcata Police Chief.

Charmaine Lawson, who has been active in trying to push for a resolution in the case, stated, “Today makes 2 months since Humboldt County DA Maggie Fleming has received my son DJ’s, case from APD for review. January 15th, will be 21 months since my Son was viciously murdered at an off campus party, less than 10 minuets from his school Humboldt State University.”

Lawson wrote, “I will not stop fighting for you my son, I promise you we will get justice. #JusticeForDJ.” Then she urged supporters to call the Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Fleming at (707) 268-2571‬. “Call and asked her if it was her daughter what would she do?’ Lawson asked.

A vigil for David Josiah Lawson is planned for January 15 at Arcata City Hall.

UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Fleming sent a statement in response to a request for information we sent her following today’s post on the Justice for Josiah Facebook page.

Fleming wrote,

The interpretation of the analysis of DNA on the knife is of course critical to the case.  That is one of the issues we found incompletely resolved in the casefile we received from the Arcata Police Department, therefore we requested additional information on the analysis from the California Department of Justice.  We must know what experts will say under oath about the DNA analysis to make a just decision about the case.  We are also seeking additional information on a second issue. Justice would not be served by a decision by our Office that does not take into account critical existing information.

Earlier Stories about David Josiah Lawson:

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laya
Guest
laya
5 years ago

wont she be shocked when it is her sons buddy.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  laya

she probably won’t be shocked consider the team of professional that flew in from all over the US have already solved it on her behalf and the result is no different. the only difference is that its conclusive. who had the car load of kitchen knives?

Humboldt Hillsman
Guest
Humboldt Hillsman
5 years ago
Reply to  laya

Yeah, I know. It makes total sense that one of his buddies was carrying around a kitchen knife that night and then stabbed his own friend. Yeah that makes a lot more sense than Kyle stabbing him out of revenge for the beating with one of many kitchen knives found in his trunk.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
5 years ago

“…Kyle stabbing him out of revenge for the beating…” <————— that is called self-defense, not revenge, in this scenario.

Sharpen your pencil
Guest
Sharpen your pencil
5 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

And it has been stated Kyle was unconscious….

Mdg
Guest
Mdg
5 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

You can’t stab somebody because you’re losing a fight.

Jp
Guest
Jp
5 years ago
Reply to  Mdg

Yes you can. The defense would come to state of mind

Someone
Guest
Someone
5 years ago

Hardly the first unsolved murder around here with very obvious circumstances. I dont see why the constant race issue. Theres more than a few white folks out here whose murders were all but witnessed and no arrest made…. they have to have the evidence to convict. They cant just do it because we feel its whats right. It has to be legal. Its a shitty set up for all criminal proceedings.

Craig
Guest
Craig
5 years ago
Reply to  Someone

It was all circumstantial when bodi tree was convicted, he still got life.

Anonymous Humboldtian
Guest
Anonymous Humboldtian
5 years ago
Reply to  Craig

Bohdi tree’s case was not circumstantial. They found him hiding in the brush after fleeing a double homicide. Im sure they found his dna on the gun and they even probably linked his gun to a prior shooting in eureka through ballistic testing. His was an open and shut case.

cranky is the new black
Guest
cranky is the new black
5 years ago

Someone: i strongly agree that racism keeps getting the blame for the same incompetence that prevents our county from solving all the murders. Because our population is mostly white, so are most of the victims.
Even the people our police shoot are overwhelmingly white. The only exception I can think of is the native boy shot in the woods near the zoo by the off duty probation officer looking to make a name for himself, i mean “afraid for his life because of a boy running away.”
these out of towners cant be expected to know how witless our cops are and how political our da is that she wont put a case before a jury. she does not seem to like trials. maybe she isnt very good at them, idk. but it is truly annoying.
i will never vote for her again. i’ve put her on the list with ms fennell and mr honsal.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Craig

I do not think you know what this word means, circumstantial.

Rule of Law not Leftists
Guest
Rule of Law not Leftists
5 years ago
Reply to  Someone

Because cultural Marxism and pushing division is now what leftist who called themselves Democrats do. Mob rule along with being found guilty within the public media sphere is how things are today. It’s fashionable and identify politics are what the university along with every other educational institution infiltrated by leftists are pushing out these days. I say this from first-hand experience from working on an advanced degree within a political science department. But as Levar Burton used to say – you don’t have to take my word for it.

Sparkelmahn
Guest
Sparkelmahn
5 years ago

Conservatism: some kinda horrible genetic mutation passed down by everyone from Ceasar to God damn Trump! “Stupid is as stupid does” is their credo and they are leading the world to ruin as we speak. But as one of the more dumb right wingers used to say “JUST SAY NO” to the Conservative agenda.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Sparkelmahn

“Charlton suggests that liberals and other intelligent people may be “clever sillies,” who incorrectly apply abstract logical reasoning to social and interpersonal domains. ”
“Because common sense is evolutionarily familiar and thus natural, the Hypothesis would predict that more intelligent people may be less likely to resort to it.”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/201003/if-liberals-are-more-intelligent-conservatives-why-are

It’s actually more easy than than that. Liberals see a problem, 99% because they have emotional response, so they decide , since the problem exists, something different is needed. So they come up with new and innovative solutions and are repelled from thinking carefully by the idea that most of what they think is innovative has actually been tried many times and failed on the reefs of human nature. So when it again fails, they try to force humans to change to suit their theories. A disaster yet again to be blamed on those not so damn dumb as to discount that, if things that don’t exist, there might be a reason that needs to be taken into account. And a being thoroughly hateful liberal will not change this.

triniboldticino
Guest
triniboldticino
5 years ago

As an attorney, and registered Republican before your hero declared anti-nazi protesters equivalent to nazis in the S. Carolina fray (now Independent), after 63 years on this earth, I must say you have learned your parroting points well. My great uncle was murdered by a nazi POW camp guard. Google Leroy Wyman. Keep mouthing the party line, spread the lies that your hero perpetrates on the American public simply to draw attention away from the investigations against him. That’s all he’s doing of late. Blame education because we want uneducated masses who believe every lie and all the propaganda. Call people names. Brilliant. Use “the rule of law” catchphrase and “Constitutionalism” when it suits you, lie about it when it doesn’t. The new Amerika! It’s all about power, and moving money to the top. But they’ve got you solidly onboard.

Brian
Guest
Brian
5 years ago

Right on!

It’s ok to be Republican and disgusted with the asshole/idiot/bigot in the big seat.

Good for you for staying true!

👍
Guest
👍
5 years ago

You give me hope triniboleticino.

k
Guest
k
5 years ago

Mob rule is NOw being done? Like during Hoover era? Like during prohibition? Mob Rule, like Might is Right is human nature, timeless and apolitical.

Willie Caso-Mayhem
Guest
5 years ago

Party gone bad. Friends on friends.

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
5 years ago

“Friends don’t stab friends when drunk”

-The more you know ****

LostCoastEMP
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LostCoastEMP
5 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

Friends kill friends when drunk…

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

maybe its time for Measure Z to pony up and bring the forensic crime unit back. this one is going to be embarrassing no matter what happens at this point. the best route is always correction.

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago

What I haven’t understood is why it would be criminal for Kyle to have stabbed him in the first place. You can’t stab someone if a group is beating you? How is that not self defense?

It I had been in the same situation I would have admitted that I stabbed him in self defense right away.

It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

J
Guest
J
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

That’s what I’m saying. If it was Kyle then of course he would be like I was being choked to death( which is what Josiah was doing when he was stabbed according to witnesses), and I stabbed the person. He still lost consciousness dispit the person choking him dying while choking him, so imagine if whoever stabbed Josiah hadn’t done that. Someone still would have died that day it just would have been Kyle at the hands of Josiah. Look at Kyle’s neck, I’ve seen a lot of pics of people after they were choked and never seen anything as severe as the marks on his neck anywhere other than movies, which are normally exaggerated!! Ready for Josiah’s friend or girlfriend to finally be revealed as the murderer so we can move on and work in the numerous other unsolved murders around here. Like WTF happened to the 18 year old girl killed in her shower? She wasn’t violently assaulting someone when she died so is she not important?

No Joke
Guest
No Joke
5 years ago
Reply to  J

I think that girl who was killed in the shower was in a house with like 18 other people and they’re still processing all those people’s DNA samples. I hope to god her case is solved and somebody gets life in prison.

The Murder Mountain producers were right, Humboldt needs both dedicated homicide detectives and designated missing persons detectives. Hopefully Measure Z can be used to fund that…

Sharpen your pencil
Guest
Sharpen your pencil
5 years ago
Reply to  No Joke

Naw man, we need another Bearcat!

J
Guest
J
5 years ago
Reply to  No Joke

Oh makes sense but very sad to have to wait that long, gives the murderer plenty of time to run. We absolutely need staff just for missing people and murders, this lack of justice on the most gruesome crimes needs to end.

Rule of Law not Leftists
Guest
Rule of Law not Leftists
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Because it’s California, victims have no right to self defense, especially whites who are inherently racist while others are not, and it would have been racist for any white person to defend themselves even lethally when being beat by a gang a folks who consider themselves from a different human tribe based upon skin color. Not being nice to others while not accepting self responsibility for ones actions can win a Darwin Award which is the fault of the person that brought it upon themselves. Sorry for the mother but from the way it looks, live the thug life beating others up as a racially based gang, brings about this life consequence.

Mdg
Guest
Mdg
5 years ago

You can’t kill someone with a knife cause you’re losing a fistfight. I don’t believe it should work like that.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Mdg

Of course there’s a strong presumption of being in danger of losing your life if your having the snot beat out you. It would be self defense if using a knife ended the threat. But the judgement about it would be more detailed than that. If the beating was going on and a person doing the beating got stabbed, the self defense is a reasonable interpretation. If the beating had stopped and the person beaten went away, got a knife, came back, self defense would be unlikely to be credible.

So far there have been lots of allegations in this case but little proof. Hopefully a court case will bring it all out to be seen.

J
Guest
J
5 years ago
Reply to  Mdg

Fist fights can be deadly and you can defend yourself against when you are in danger of loosing your life. Keep in mind I’ve been in fist fights but never choked from behind to the point of loosing consiosness. That is not a regular fist fight, Josiah was choking Kyle to death.

JokesOnYou
Guest
JokesOnYou
5 years ago

You could have just stopped after: “Because it’s California, victims have no rights…”. Our system is a joke, and all the so called ‘resources for victims’ are non-exsistent, to impossible to obtain. Just sayin.

Sheesh!!
Guest
5 years ago

We dont have racial tension in our community.
Racial tension is brought here by outsiders!
Dont bring your city bullshit into our community.
Thank you!

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

its not racial tension, its jealous and fear and its not just in our community. but I do consider Concord CA a city. I use to work there.

Black Rifles Matter
Guest
Black Rifles Matter
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Huh?? What does concord ca have anything to do with anything?

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

Kyle is from Concord.

Black Rifles Matter
Guest
Black Rifles Matter
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Got it. Thank you. I was confused until your clarification.

Liz
Guest
Liz
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

First time I heard of racial tension in Humboldt Co was in 1968, years before I moved here.

Really?
Guest
Really?
5 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Name a place without diffent races where there is not racial tension.

Helllbilly
Guest
Helllbilly
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

Amen

Humboldt Hillsman
Guest
Humboldt Hillsman
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

Just to let you know Kyle and his girlfriend were both heard by witnesses that night referring to josiah by the N word. That wasn’t brought here by folks from the city, that was our own homegrown racism.

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Bummed this had to become a race war, and that people are believing we’re all racist up here in Humboldt. We’re not.

sarah
Guest
sarah
5 years ago

You can thank HSU for that

Sharpen your pencil
Guest
Sharpen your pencil
5 years ago
Reply to  sarah

Naw, you can thank the SJW for that bullshit. If they hate white people so bad they should move back to Europe!

cranky is the new black
Guest
cranky is the new black
5 years ago
Reply to  sarah

what!? no, we can thank youth for that. these kids are just that.

they cannot see that ‘if you can’t make it in Arcata, you can’t make it anywhere’ because they are too young to see the difference.

hsu is not the epicenter of the movement toward minority groups demanding their equality. look at our midterm elections with historic numbers of minorities gaining seats NATIONWIDE.

Sarah, are you young enough that we can assume that youth is also the basis of your ignorance? because that was one helluva ignorant remark.

maybe over there at cr, you could take a critical thinking class?

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Pot calling the kettle black. Rights are not defined as the freedom to punch each other out. Nor are equal rights defined by race.

Jp
Guest
Jp
5 years ago

Where did that whopper come from. Please forward that evidence to apd

Rule of Law not Leftists
Guest
Rule of Law not Leftists
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

I don’t feel safe in Concord, or Richmond, Oakland, Stockton, Fresno, or Los Angeles because of my skin color. Maybe they can make accommodations for folks down in their neighborhoods if they like to come up to ours? I mean, seriously, what happened to desegregation, instead we tribal up based upon skin color like a bunch of ignorant morons in 2019.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

eastern contra costa county is mostly white, full of meth and very racist. Concord is the heart of eastern contra costa county.

Rob Ash
Guest
Rob Ash
5 years ago

Dude just take off your Klan Robe and maybe they’ll treat you nicer in those places.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

How is accusing a poster of being a KKK member funny?

tired of idiots
Guest
tired of idiots
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

I was wondering the same thing. Low class remark from both. Klan robe? Please. Just plain ignorant.

Stormy
Guest
Stormy
5 years ago

All she wants is $$$$ justice. She’s waitin’ for the ka-ching.

Tom fruhmann
Guest
Tom fruhmann
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I too am the victim of a violent crime by juveniles because of their status everything is sequestered even for the victim in your neighbor in county of Del Norte no law north of the Klamath they say

Mark
Guest
Mark
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Local attorney Shelley Mack has filed a claim for $500,000 in damages on behalf of Michelle-Charmaine Lawson against the city of Arcata for the handling of the death of David Josiah Lawson, who was fatally stabbed during an altercation at a house party in Arcata on April 15, 2017.

cranky is the new black
Guest
cranky is the new black
5 years ago
Reply to  Mark

a half million dollars isnt a greedy amount, it’s a “why dont you do your job before i slap your mama” amount.

if you wont do your job, and the city council won’t fire you, this claim might get someone’s attention.

maybe the folks related to the NUMEROUS murder victims in Ranch ought to give ShelleyMack a call. I would LOVE to see Billy on the witness stand, wouldnt you?

BonnieBlue
Guest
BonnieBlue
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Aren’t most of Stormy’s comments hateful? So it would seem to me.

BonnieBlue
Guest
BonnieBlue
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thanks for the chuckle, Kym. Your patience, tolerance, and even-handedness are a wonder.

Sparkelmahn
Guest
Sparkelmahn
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Brutal.

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Don’t listen to Stormy… Nonsense…

Mdg
Guest
Mdg
5 years ago
Reply to  Stormy

Stormy: that’s an ugly comment

dont matter
Guest
dont matter
5 years ago

over the racial bullshit, get over it . humboldt is a melting pot that has every race there is. How come race only comes to an issue with black cases? What about the Hmogs, Laoatians, Bulgarians ……

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  dont matter

Caucasian, Asian, Native American, Negro – doesn’t matter. There’s always a few ready to make hateful remarks about race.

LostCoastEMP
Guest
LostCoastEMP
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Only “white” (still judged by color) can be racist.

tired of idiots
Guest
tired of idiots
5 years ago
Reply to  LostCoastEMP

It would seem to be true. Guilty of being white.

Mr. Realistic
Guest
Mr. Realistic
5 years ago

If it was Maggie Fleming’s daughter, I’m guessing that Maggie would want all the evidence gathered, substantiated, and kept under wraps no matter how long it took so that a valid conclusion, conviction would be made.

Justice for Bo Triantos
Guest
Justice for Bo Triantos
5 years ago

Bo Triantos was murdered by Brandon Watson in Arcata in October. I have not seen one speck of information or follow up by any local media. Why not? Intervention is tomorrow. Possible preliminary hearing January 17. Can someone give a crap about Bo and stay on top of this case too?

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym, I assume you mean you wish you had the money to pay for a copy of the transcript? The court reporter is hired by the county. It is possible to purchase selected parts of the procedure – like one witness or another. You already know this?

John Chiv
Guest
John Chiv
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym, Brandon Watson currently has a preliminary scheduled for January 17. That, of course is subject to change.

Mr Realistic
Guest
Mr Realistic
5 years ago

That case is being kept under wraps as it should. A suspect is in custody. People are not up in arms protesting, interjecting extraneous subjective opinions and innuendo, and making a circus out of a tradgedy.
Law enforcement, the DA are handling the case as they should of done in the Lawson investigation. Keeping it under wraps.

Dot
Guest
Dot
5 years ago

I’m baffled… How would one get information like that from a reliable source during an open investigation? And, perhaps, they have identified the murder weapon and it has Josiah’s DNA and DNA from another, unknown person. But no match, yet.
This is all such a tragic story.
But that is a bold statement to make that achieves nothing but grief & frustration for all parties involved in solving the crime.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  Dot

a 3rd party came in and took over the investigation. the team was made up of special investigators and attorney’s from coast to coast. the case is solved and just needs the DA to do her job.

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
5 years ago

Maybe Netflix will make a documentary about it. Since alliteration is fun and catchy they could call it “Josiah’s Justice”.

Black Rifles Matter
Guest
Black Rifles Matter
5 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

That made me chuckle.

Small Fry
Guest
Small Fry
5 years ago

Justice for Josiah! The HCSO is now on national public display for its gross negligence in solving the worst of crimes. I understand that this is under APD jurisdiction, but this is just another sad example how law enforcement here is failing to do the job awarded to them. I know it’s a difficult job, however I think it is important to put pressure on these officials to do better…
These victims families deserve better!

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Small Fry

Kern County leads the state.

I hate lowlifes
Guest
I hate lowlifes
5 years ago

I, like everyone else, don’t know the whole story but I would think the family would want the DA’s office to have a solid case for prosecution before they proceed which is virtually the only reason that charges haven’t been filed – yet.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

the DA’s office was hand delivered a conclusive case by a 3rd party.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Then they should go public with the evidence. If the DA decides to move on the case, all that information will be made public during discovery anyhow.

CJ Engebretson
Guest
CJ Engebretson
5 years ago

Does anyone know who it is?Could it have been one of those girls?There was two girls in the mayhem if I remember correctly

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago
Reply to  CJ Engebretson

It’s possible the killer doesn’t even know. I sometimes black out when I drink. My body is still fully functional but I have no recall of my actions. It’s why I quit.

'Merican Woman
Guest
'Merican Woman
5 years ago

Absent a confession, this will remain unsolved. Didn’t the APD have big news awaiting us several months ago when the so called investigation was complete?

Seamus
Guest
Seamus
5 years ago
Reply to  'Merican Woman

Right? I remember that, important information was forthcoming, did it come forth?

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Maybe because having DNA on the murder weapon only proves that someone had touched it sometime. If there are alternative explanations as to why it might be there or question regarding the validity of the findings or an allegation of self defense other evidence must be developed beside DNA.

One thing that should not be going on is a public announcement where the person who did kill him now knows that the noose is tightening and might just put themselves beyond reach.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

it seems no one saw the news release in November about the results of the 3rd party investigation. the word they used was “unequivocal”. maybe the DA is too backed up with raid related paperwork and settlement calculations?

lostCoastEMP
Guest
lostCoastEMP
5 years ago

good! finally (maybe) some closure. the horse is dead, stop beating it.

Mother of 2
Guest
Mother of 2
5 years ago

If it’s an open investigation, how is it this info was given to the victim’s mother? It makes me question the validity of the leaked info, as well as the source.

As a mother, I would rather be patient and allow a solid case be developed, than risk jeopardizing justice.

Looks to me like emotions are in control, rather than a level head.

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
5 years ago
Reply to  Mother of 2

Mother of 2, i think the article says only that she knows they have the DNA and know who it is… not that they told HER who it was. That would be pretty heavy, to tell a mother who the suspect is, and tell her not to say.
So i don’t think they gave her sensitive info–just told her that they have that info.

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
5 years ago

Amen. 🙏🏿

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

If Josiah’s Mom knows the name of the killer then spit it out.

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
5 years ago

Have your kids read this book maybe it will help them get along better with other people when they get older .

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

That’s great to hear because that was always a favorite.

Z
Guest
Z
5 years ago

Sheesh, to say we don’t have racism in Humboldt is blind. We committed genocide because we coveted the land & its riches that belonged to local Native Americans. Our racism is just as deep as the rest of America’s.

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago
Reply to  Z

I’m pretty sure if I committed Genocide I would have some recollection of it. Was it last summer?

Jp
Guest
Jp
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Fyi there are no living wintus

Sheesh
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Z

We dont have racial tension in our community.
Racists and racism are everywhere.
Josiahs mom and the people involved in this altercation have brought the racial tension.

tired of idiots
Guest
tired of idiots
5 years ago
Reply to  Z

America is far from the only country with racism. [edit]

Just a person
Guest
Just a person
5 years ago

To everyone arguing about this, let me paint a picture for you.
Kyle pulls a knife, is beaten down, and as DJ is holding him down who ever grabbed the knife tries to stab Kyle but misses. Now everyone gets really hush hush about that and furthers the racial divide so they can point the finger at the white guy instead of his friend who accidentally did it.

Mdg
Guest
Mdg
5 years ago
Reply to  Just a person

Why does that make more sense than; the guy who was losing an old fashion fist fight pulled a knife and stabbed the other guy? Usually the simplest answer is the correct one… but go head and try to wrap your head around whatever makes you feel better.

josiah is responsible for his own death
Guest
josiah is responsible for his own death
5 years ago
Reply to  Mdg

mdg.. this is the third comment you’ve made about this “fistfight”.. you are obviously ignorant to the facts in the case.. this was a violent 3on1 beatdown, not a fight. josiah was the instigator with the 2 castillo brothers joining in. kyle was polite and did not want a fight.. they didnt stop beating on him until kyle was unconcious.. the 3 attackers did not stop until they were pepper sprayed. all 3 attackers left the party, the 2 castillo brothers, having some sense, left and went home. josiah returned after going to his or his girlfriends car to seek revenge or finish what he started (perhaps he got a weapon and returned?). all of this is fact.. right out of kyle castillo’s mouth on the witness stand (except for my speculation that josiah possibly armed himself before returning). josiahs death rests firmly on his own shoulders.. he was the one who started the beatdown and he was the one that came back to start it up again.. he was the aggressor.. twice. if kyle stabbed him it was purely self defense.

Sparkelmahn
Guest
Sparkelmahn
5 years ago

Need Columbo, Kojack, Rockford, Mannix, or at least Charlie’s Angels!

Bluefin
Guest
Bluefin
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Focus on this excerpt from the Dan Squier article:

“We needed to collect the DNA for elimination purposes and get that information (to the) DOJ and that took a tremendous amount of work,” Ehle said. “During the preliminary hearing — for Kyle Zoellner, the only person arrested in connection with Lawson’s death (whom) was originally charged with homicide — the judge issued a statement that said he will not hold the suspect because there was insufficient evidence and a lot of witnesses had not been interviewed. He was right.”

So according to the investigator, who now knows who the likely killer is, he agrees the Judge was right in releasing Kyle.

Anonymous Humboldtian
Guest
Anonymous Humboldtian
5 years ago

I agree wholeheartedly with the mother. If they have the suspects DNA on the handle of the murder weapon what more do they need for an indictment?

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
5 years ago

It just shows that person handled the knife. It doesn’t prove he/she stabbed David. A Grand Jury with half a brain wouldn’t indict on that evidence alone.

Anonymous Humboldtian
Guest
Anonymous Humboldtian
5 years ago
Reply to  Life is Good

I get what you’re saying, but at the same time it’s idiotic that you wouldn’t indict based on that. On what planet does someone handle a bloody murder weapon and have nothing to do with the crime? You don’t actually believe that DNA belongs to someone other than the murderer, do you?

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago

What if there were a bunch of different people’s genetic material on the knife? Like would have happened if there had been a struggle over the knife. You can’t establish who was the stabber beyond a reasonable doubt.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

That would certainly be the defense attorney’s argument. Even if they are 100% percent sure themselves that their client is guilty. They would create a dozen scenarios where that happened if it creates reasonable doubt in the jury. They will bring in their own experts to raise questions about the lab results, offer suggestions of mishandling by the police or even deliberate contamination by “others.”

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
5 years ago
Reply to  Life is Good

And yet… if the DNA person had only handled it, not used it to murder… where are the fingerprints/DNA of the murderer? They could not have been erased after the crime and had anyone else’s appear but those of either an accomplice who hid the weapon, or law enforcement who found the knife under the vehicle.
In other words, the fingerprints are very unlikely to be those of some innocent previous handler of the knife in a kitchen somewhere–if those were there, so would be the later ones of people involved in the crime.
I’m not Sherlock but that seems clear to me. The fingerprints don’t in themselves prove who did the crime, but they indicate someone holding the weapon either during or after the murder–not before.

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
5 years ago
Reply to  Life is Good

You must not be from Ca. Grand Juries here are civil, there is not a criminal grand jury process with indictments or “no bills” handed out like in some other states. We use the felony prelim for arrested parties and just a plain old DA assessment for non- arrested parties.

I like the criminal GJ process, it cuts through the BS fast. If a person is “no billed” then that’s it, case is DOA.

LostCoastEMP
Guest
LostCoastEMP
5 years ago

Racism is in our DNA. It’s the primal sex drive part that subconsciously tells us “our” kind must preserver over others to survive. It started with cro-magnan humans and Neanderthals. Racism is based on fear. Fear makes humans blind and ignorant

Saddened
Guest
Saddened
5 years ago

Kyle was arrested for choking out an 18 yr old girl the weekend before. She wouldnt press charges like most abused women. Hes a violent person. Mckinleyville is where the head of the kkk hid out before his arrest. In the 90’s the aryan youth arm of kkk got busted handing out info at mckville high school. Honsal ssys theyre not there but i think hes one of them.
They def have a presence abd lynchings happened openly in fieldbrook up til 25 yrs ago.
I remember in mid 90’s a man drove his truck onto the arcata plaza and stabbed a young black man. There were maybe 20 people of color in the whole county then, maybe more but not a lot.

Fleming is the worst!!!!!!
She&board of supes completely screwed us with the hire they made of a sexist man who hadnt even been in a courtroom in ten years.
He harassed the employees in the office to the point they all quit and wrote open letters as to why.
Thats why so many big murder cases got pushed so far back and one of the reasons the jail has stayed full, no da’s to do arraignments.
Fleming&supes back the hire to this day.
Cant wait til we can vote out estelle, rex & mike!!!! Idiotic maneuvers that cost us so much need to stop.
Like taking day off for sr bush death. It was up to county to decide to shut down or not. With no discussion they did it, every county employee got paid day off and those working got time&half and a paid day off in the future. That one day cost us 500,000$.
Boot em! Theyre costing us in money abd crime.

Mr Realistic
Guest
Mr Realistic
5 years ago
Reply to  Saddened

Pfffft.,
Can you provide any proof on any part of your comment? I will even give you your day off for Bush’s passing spiel. Free pass on that part except for the 500,000 cost.

Bluefin
Guest
Bluefin
5 years ago
Reply to  Saddened

Wow, open lynchings 25 years ago in Fieldbrook. Let’s see that would be mid-90’s. I must have been hibernating and missed that.

Joe
Guest
Joe
5 years ago
Reply to  Saddened

Hahaha! Lynchings in Fieldbrook? Really? Please. That’s the dumbest SHIT I’ve heard in a long time!

Steve Parr
Guest
Steve Parr
5 years ago
Reply to  Saddened

Well, let’s see…I moved to Fieldbrook in 1967…that’s about 52 years ago…lived there until 1981…getting closer to your 25 years…moved back in ’83, left in ’85 – no lynchings then…moved back in ’90, left in ’91 or ’92…still no lynchings…still know an awful lot of people out there, seems like someone would have mentioned in passing a good old public lynching, but no, nary a word, so I have to think I’m either out of the loop, or you’re so full of bullshit you stink.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Saddened

I don’t remember ever hearing about a lynching of anyone, white or black or other. And I’ve been around a lot longer than 25 years.

Nemo
Guest
Nemo
5 years ago

In regard to the Bo Trianto murder:

On 10/27/2018, acting on citizen tips, investigators from the Arcata Police Department began surveillance of a residence off Walnut Drive in Cutten.

During the surveillance operation, Brandon Matthew Watson, 27, of Arcata, the suspect in the fatal stabbing that occurred on 10/24/2018 on the 900 Blk of ….

KEY words being, ‘acting on citizen tips.’

Too bad Josiah’s friends aren’t so forth coming.

Over It
Guest
Over It
5 years ago

As far as I understand … a bunch of guys jumped on Kyle and started beating him. Was it 4 to 1 or 5 to 1? Anyways that was some weak cowardly bullshit. One of the guys got stabbed and died. That’s sad. But I honestly say I don’r care if it was the guy getting beat up (Kyle) or one of the cowards in the gang beating him up…because …that’s what ya get! I’m not injecting skin color- it doesn’t matter white, yellow ,brown or black. If it was the one guy getting beat up by a gang and he got got killed I would care. But not here. Sorry, Josiah you were on the wrong side of history. We don’t care about color here. You were on the side of assholes and now you are dead. I hope your friends learned something real. One on one is respectable. Ganging up for a beat down is not and never will be…

Hunter Allen is a person too...............
Guest
Hunter Allen is a person too...............
5 years ago

His is not the only life lost without resolution. The murder of Hunter Allen is just as emotionally upsetting as Lawson’s. The only difference for Allen’s family wanting justice is the playing of the race card. His murderer still walks among us. Yet although his family sounds the alarm no one in this community has made rumblings like what has happened with the Lawson’s tragedy. This should have nothing to do with a person’s race, but a young life taken.

Bob
Guest
Bob
5 years ago

What I have been wondering is it was reported that DJs girlfriend was stabbed or slashed in the arm as well during the altercation, and yet she never pointed the finger at anyone. How can you be that close, get injured as well, and not know or see who had the knife. Not one person said it was Kyle, I saw him do it. Everyone was quick to blame him because of the fight, not because they actually saw it. Or even Kyle’s girlfriend or her friends, no one pointed the finger at them as well. People were to quick to jump on the race wagon, that’s what made this tragedy stand out from the beginning.

sick of it
Guest
sick of it
5 years ago
Reply to  Bob

in this time of every thing getting recorded on cell phones I find it hard to believe no one had a phone with them. Bring a video forward so this mother can find some peace. She has a right to know

nomanD
Member
noman
1 year ago

Show us the report that says Zoellner’s DNA is on the handle of the knife.
We’ll wait.

Guest
Guest
Guest
1 year ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

That means that there were also two others.

I seem to remember two other people reportedly that were “cut”, or had knife wounds.

Surely they might remember who wielded the knife…

Did they testify?

Or maybe it was one of them that wielded the knife?