No, Humboldt is not a lawless murder capital – Quick local stories – Humboldt Last Week
Humboldt Last Week is a weekly audio program featuring quick local stories. You can listen now, download it for later, throw a tantrum about it, or listen on the go wherever you get podcasts (Apple, Spotify, Google, etc.). Additionally, the radio station is streaming 24-7, adding a wide variety of alternative music and general interest topics to the mix.
At 10:34: Another documentary took a look at Humboldt County and once again we were painted as a lawless murder capital. That’s not exactly true.
Most of us have seen “Murder Mountain,” but the newest documentary showing us in that light aired on the PBS station down in Los Angeles, hooking viewers near the beginning with an anonymous subject saying: “If you want to get away with murder, Humboldt County is the place to go.” [Side note, that documentary is about the Lawson case. This article is not an analysis of that case.]
Over the last decade from 2009 through 2018, 10 counties in the state had worse per capita homicide rates than Humboldt County, according to data from the California Department of Justice. That would be Alameda, Fresno, Kern, Merced, Monterey, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, and Tulare.
It is unfortunate being the 11th worst of 58 counties when it comes to homicide rates, but we certainly aren’t the worst. You can analyze the data here. Humboldt’s worst year in that decade was 2016 when we saw over 20 homicides. As of this posting, there have been six so far in 2019.
So what about Humboldt’s high rate of missing persons reports? Well, the county also has a very high rate of people that are found. For instance, last year there were 370 adult missing persons reports in Humboldt County. There were also 343 reports of adults that were found that year. It’s likely that our rural nature with a lot of spotty cell service is a huge contributor to these numbers. You can analyze that data here.
“We get a lot of (missing persons) reports that are easily resolved because the person returns, said Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Samantha Karges.
So what about getting away with murder in the courts? Since Humboldt County District Attorney, Maggie Fleming took office at the start of 2015, 92 percent of their homicide cases have resulted in a defendant being found guilty.
“We have tried 13 homicide cases since I took office in January 2015,” Fleming said. “Nine resulted in murder convictions, and those charged with special allegations — for example torture, multiple victims, use of a firearm — the jury also found true. One case included co-defendants in which the jury found one person guilty and the other not guilty of murder. Two cases we charged as murder yielded convictions on the lesser charge of manslaughter. Finally, we had a murder case that resulted in a hung jury in the first trial and a not guilty verdict when we re-tried it.”
Yes, bad things do happen in Humboldt County. There’s no denying that. Bodies are buried out there. Safety precautions are just as necessary today as they were yesterday. But while there’s no data that suggests we’re a utopian emerald paradise full of rainbows and butterflies, there’s also no data showing we’re a Norman Bates freakshow.
Could Humboldt County stand to have lower homicide rates? Absolutely. Would it be nice to have fewer reports of missing people? No doubt about it. But we’re definitely not a lawless murder capital. Stay prepared and stay safe, but take comfort in knowing this beautiful place may not be as bleak as some outsiders have shown it.
Introducing contributing host Andrew Goetz at 6:30: Andrew Goetz has local experience as a professional sports broadcaster. Here he’s delving into harder news. This week he looks into reported hate crimes at HSU, cannabis code enforcement, a crash at the gazebo in Old Town, and soccer playoffs.
Also in the new episode: Tony Hawk helps a Humboldt skatepark, teen surfers to the rescue, debate continues on the possible wind farm near Rio Dell, big news coming regarding industrial hemp in Humboldt, a legendary felled tree is coming back in multiples, and the locally-shot movie of the week, event suggestions for the week, and much more.
Humboldt Last Week episode 150 partners: Belle Starr Clothing, Northcoast Horticulture Supply, Bongo Boy Studio, Trinidad Vacation Rental, North Coast Journal, Photography by Shi, Redheaded Blackbelt, North Coast Journal, 99.1 KISS FM
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
If only all the missing people were lost due to natural or accidental causes in a rough wildness area. Unfortunately what fuels these stories about the high murder rates are cases where the person was involved some way in sketchy pot grows or drug trafficking. They are rumored to be “disappeared.” Actually the murder rate, a murder being an official designation based on physical evidence most of the time, may very well under report homicides because bodies are not found or are found way too late to develop proof. And the conviction rate for murder means little in a world of routine plea deals.
Oh. And lawlessness is a broad category that includes property crimes and assaults. Are TPTB going to argue that catch-and-release means there are less property crimes? Or just less accounting for them… Eureka especially but many of the outlying towns are set up to encourage lawlessness.
Lawless can also apply to law enforcement. Failing to obey the law, and getting away with it is not an activity limited to citizens.
Thanks.
Somebody wants to paint Humboldt as bad. Why?
The one thing that is real, the catch and release, that’s not ok, no other place does that, it’s a real problem, that and not taking domestic violence seriously enough.
The catch and release thing will never change, but that’s it.
There are 1/2 the Leo’s per capita of other county’s,
more officers and investigators should be hired.
This comment has nothing to do with the Lawson case.
Rip. Condolences to his mom and family and friends.
CONDOLENCES TO KYLE, KID WAS JUMPED BY SOME HOOD RAT LOSERS!
Every jurisdiction does the same catch & release as Humboldt. It’s the way the law works when jails are overcrowded, people are arrested for stupid non crimes like public intoxication day after day, and petty crimes are not considered jail worthy. Not just here. Everywhere
They sure don’t seem to have a problem staffing convoys and MET with deputies.
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/pge-outage-weather-forecast-wind-areas-14841380.php
Just when you thought it was safe again….
I’ve lived here almost twenty years and truthfully felt safer in Los Angeles. The druggie/grower “culture” is pure evil and ruins a beautiful landscape (literally and figuratively) for all.
??????
I’ve been here 30 plus years and have no fear of the grower “culture” as you put it..Now,the “heroin,meth,bike ridin felony parole culture”, scares the hell outta me.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/4024984-181/marijuana-grower-gets-life-in
https://www.revealnews.org/blog/pot-trimmers-wanted-in-death-of-grower/
https://crimeola.com/garret-rodriguez-missing-murder-mountain/
Any time money mixes with outlaw sentiments, you should be worried.
Well before the pot industry came along there was infinitely less crime of all types in Humboldt. The pot industry, permissive drug and other leftwing policies have destroyed what once was a paradisical place by attracting misfits and counterculture people from afar.
Before the pot industry was here there were also infinitely fewer people, hence lower statistics. Yes, the money plants have attracted miscreants and ripoffs, etc etc, but a former paradise? Environmental destruction (I mean unregulated logging), alcoholism, domestic abuse and more were part of local history. Sorry.
You are wrong. Humboldt had as many people in 1960 as it does today. It actually lost population for twenty years after that, as the timber and commercial fishing industry waned. It was a place of family and values. That has crumbled into an every man for himself society.
I am not wrong. In 1960 there were 105,000 people in Humboldt. Now there are more than 136,000. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_County,_California
If you want to talk about family values, ask the indigenous people, who were slaughtered to make way for so-called civilization. Where you are wrong is in your black and white, us and them mindset. The “libs” that you loathe have family values just as strong as yours. I know, I’ve witnessed it. Here’s the thing: there are saints and assholes in every walk of life.
As far as random danger to the general public is concerned I’m more worried about the over abundance of Meth User Criminal types who roam around committing both property crimes and sometimes violent crimes vs. violence related to the Pot trade. Any one of the spun out speed freaks who commonly attempt to flee traffic stops or steal from residences and businesses could go over the edge and commit violent acts at any time, they can be very unpredictable-quite a danger to both police and the general public.