Fortuna Police Release Booking Photo of Homicide Suspect
Yesterday at approximately 12:45 p.m., a local firefighter whose name has not yet been released, was shot at a residence on Rohnerville Road in Fortuna. Witnesses name Jon Goldberg as the man who fired those fatal shots after what Fortuna Police said was a “brief argument.” The man fled the scene leaving the 42-year-old victim dead of multiple gunshot wounds. Fortuna Police say the victim was unarmed.
Scanner traffic indicates that the suspect, Jon Goldberg, later called his wife and requested her to meet him at their home. By that time his wife was at the Fortuna Police station, according to what was said over the scanner.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and the California Highway Patrol sent support to aid Fortuna Police in capturing the suspect. At approximately 7 p.m., Jon Goldberg age 36, was taken into custody at his home at 32950 Highway 36.
Later he was booked into the Humboldt County Jail on charges of murder.
Earlier Chapters:
- Fatal Shooting in Fortuna
- Law Enforcement Searches for the Suspect in Today’s Homicide
- Arrest Made in Fortuna Shooting Death
- Tim Smith: Beloved Local Firefighter Was Victim of Yesterday’s Shooting
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Super bummer. I never thought he could do something like this. Scary to know he called his wife to come home.
Alot of people know who it is, there is no need to hide his name.
A lot of people do. But I’m not willing to release his name and photo until either his family or law enforcement indicate that it is okay. I don’t know that they have gotten in touch with everyone they need to yet.
Thank you for that, Kym
That would be wise
What is the 2016 homicide tally at now Kym?
Too much!
I’ll try to get a post out today on the homicides this year. However, there are different ways of counting homicides but no matter which way we count, we’re on track to hit another record number of homicides.
Ya know Kym, after the last request on the homicides and the updated post you did, it seems like in past several days, a spike of 15% – 20% of homicides.
Definitely too much. Thank you Kym.
Thank You Kym,
HOJ☺
His name has been released.
By whom? I’m waiting for permission from the family or Fortuna Police.
Tim Smith: Beloved Local Firefighter Is Victim of Yesterday’s Shooting
Hope he rots in hell. He took away a great man over stupid bullish*t.
“Stupid bullshit”?
What was the argument about that was stupid bullshit?
Whatever the argument was about was stupid bullshit.
Apparantly it was not stupid bs if a guy shows up with a firearm to another guy’s residence……no, not stupid bs, something tangible no doubt.
What a piece of work you are! So you think the death sentence is valid over an argument? It was stupid. If you think that ruining a families life, taking a life, ruining a young mans life and will not get to see his boy grow up, lots of grieving and heart ache and negative emotions and a teenager witnessing the death of his father, over a little dispute is not stupid, you need to seek help.
Just a thought, not sure about motive but ive heard that maybe this was a Love Triangle gone bad. If so, think about all lives affected by this could have been avoided had she had better civil and moral values ?
I’m really curious. I’ve seen this rumor repeated and have no proof one way or another whether this is true. BUT the vast majority of comments I’ve deleted blame a woman for this. Surely we’ve grown beyond blaming one sex for the actions of both? Frankly, even if the bare bones of the rumor are true. I’d be hesitant to go all righteous on any of the participants as “he who is without sin among you let him cast the first stone” seems like a good motto to live by even if one isn’t Christian.
But picking on only one of the participants seems shockingly wrong.
I was just commenting about current social norms. Too many times someone is just dissatisfied or unhappy with their life situation and react in unhealthy, selfish, and destructive ways. Just my $02 cents.
Of course, I’ve been known to do a few things I’m not proud of when I’m unhappy. We are all guilty of it to greater or lesser degrees.
But, I reckon calling out the hen while ignoring the rooster is sexist.
And it all seems wrong when we actually have no proof of anyone doing anything. Meanwhile, a beloved community member is dead and his family is grappling with the aftermath. And, the family of the suspect, is also drowning in pain.
Exactly, we have no proof and I was just commenting about current social norms and past observations. It could have been something entirely different, like Marijuana. I’m just saying that as a parent myself I am alert to unsavory situations and go out of the way to avoid situations that may put loved one’s in danger. I absolutely do not see that instinct to protect shared by some members of society. After all Kym, isn’t that our job to protect as parents? It bothers me on that level.
obviously you didn’t know the man. i was lucky enough to. his entire life revolved around taking care of his family and risking his life to rescue strangers. this is not the proper forum for hashing over your ideas about current social norms. especially when all you seem to be doing is gossip mongering. your awful for spreading rumors and innuendo about a great man that you never even met. if you did’t see it with your own eyes or hear it with your own ears, don’t make it up in your small mind and spread it with your big mouth.
Sorry im not gonna bite on your troll attempt, I never mentioned anything about a man in any of my posts. Are you nuts? Stay on topic please.
A loaded gun and an emotional, angry man did this Wales.
totally agree with you – I noticed the ‘she’ as well in wales comment. Quite a speculation
Please go and read John Chiv’s Big Monday, Pumpkin1234.
A misandryst pattern of deleting and censoring whenever the female gender is mentioned in a comment is an interesting platform by a journalist/reporter.
OMG! Blaming the woman??? Holding the female to a higher standard than the male? What is wrong with you? Oh, I know. It’s called sexism, and you ought to be ashamed whatever gender you are.
Oh, and how about putting the blame squarely where it lies? ON THE SHOOTER!
Jesus help us!
No I don’t believe in Jesus but I sure do wish more people would follow his example.
Hi Bonnie!
Sorry, nobody blaming the woman just trying to make sure everybody gets due credit here and all factors are considered.. Don’t know how the scenario played out but sometimes absolutely does happen the way that I portrayed it.
Wales,
Feminists hate being critiqued in America because of being not used to how it is across the pond.
America is a young country of socialites where sexist balance is tilted against men, so women are that much more outspoken misandrysts when the feminine gender is applicated for critiquing…….gotta just wuv equality…….men this, men that, men, men, men……
HOJ, Do you EVER get tired of tlking out of your posterior??? Do the world & especially the readers of RHBB a favor & STFU!!! Go back to your bridge & hide TROLL!!!!
He’s waking up in max this mourning ,and he is not getting out .wonder what’s going threw his mind .
“He is most likely thinking he was justified, no doubt the argument was over something to kill for.”
So whatever he killed for , does he get to take it to prison , oh shit , tiny oversight, oh wait he can take his anger.
Stupid is as stupid does, but everyone has their own mindset.
Personally, can’t imagine what was so bad that caused a guy to kill another guy, but soon enough, the details will trickle out.
Speaking of stupid, when was the last time you looked in a mirror, that didn’t immediately vaporize!!!??? Like I said go find a bridge to hide under & SHUT UP!!! TROLL!!!!!!
Anybody know what the suspect did for a living . Tough to make a living out in the hills not a lot of legitimate jobs . Maybe his employer can give us some insight .
Your answer is on google earth. Look up his address, 32950 Highway 36. Lots of greenhouses around there. He must have been a “farmer”.
Wow right on lots of grows .
Yeah, thats real important to this situation.
This is heartbreaking, guns are not the answer. Whatever happened to good old fashion fist fight ?
The PC crowd and gubbamint needs money, so too with attorneys.
Fist fights – are lawsuits & state pen interests
Vigilantism is the best way, unfortunately….if ya want to be secretive and effective and avoid arrest.
Glad this moron didn’t hurt any other people as he raced all over town yesterday , probably couldn’t keep a job with his anger issues.
Low blow Don…..
~ “probably couldn’t keep a job with his anger issues.”
Misogynist – women hatred
Misandryst – men hatred
Anger/job defamation – “WHAT WOULD A WORD BE?”
Let’s see his employment history, prove me wrong, is he going to support the children that don’t have a dad to support them,be a,man and shoot an unarmed man.
Prove you wrong on what, some assinine statement you would have never made for anyone else but for a “now” murder suspect…..lots of people “flippin kill” for lots of reasons having nothing to do with ability to hold a job or be productive at work….
My assessment of his character is based on his reason for killing , not the fact that he is a killer but why he choose to kill someone, hard for this type of person to keep a job, thats why we nicknamed him dynamite
So….word around is Tim was killed because Mr. Jealous Jon thought he was having an affair with his wife. A wife who was found to be at the police station after he called for her to meet him at home. The more that comes out, the more that Jon didn’t like loose lips nor his wife where he didn’t approve of her to be. And when shit hit the fan, she shows up at the police station. Sounds like she escaped a raging nut to me. God knows what would have happened to her if she just hid out in the hills like she may have been told to do. Some guys will take even the most innocent “heya” at a grocery store as explicit proof that there’s an affair.
Well, the timeline does not specify exactly when the wife was at police station.
For all we know, wife may have known hubby left home with a gun to go to victim’s home, and wife may have been at cop station prior to the death of victim…..
The picture of the suspect is familiar. Looks like Weaver of the LA Angels, but wondering if suspect has been arrested in the past because the face looks familiar.
Wondering what the past relationship between suspect and victim is too.
Actually, in one of the earlier articles about this homicide didn’t one of the commenters with knowledge or otherwise refer to the red SUV parked in the driveway of the crime scene as belonging to the suspect’s wife? Now, if this is the case and the vehicle has Crime Scene tape wrapped around the vehicle would tell me that the vehicle was logically at crime scene prior to the crime itself. So, if this is true would sure seem to justify, at least in part, much of the speculation. Just my .02 cents.
Victims wife
HOJ< You're certainly one to talk about hatred, that's all we EVE R see in your posts!!! I for one am sick & tired of it especially when it comes to disparaging a VERY GOOD MAN who lost his life over something extremely stupid, for NO good reason at all!!! Your acidic comments about him as well as "Feminists" are totally uncalled for!!! All "Feminists" want is an EQUAL opportunity alongside the "Good? Ol' Boys"!!!!!
Most likely self-employed playing a game that kills Some. Fortuna has a volunteer fire department was this firefighter a paid firefighter I doubt it if not anybody know who his employer was maybe we can get some insight outside of his volunteering. Which of course we appreciate however it doesn’t tell the whole story does it.
He worked for CalFire as well as the Fortuna Fire Dept and he was a great man! He is also a former school employee so maybe making assumptions about someone’s work status is inappropriate!
They’re talking about the suspect, not the victim. The victim was a great man. The suspect – just hillside scum, I’d reckon.
We’ll see time will tell and the truth will come out .
He was not an employee of Cal Fire. Cal Fire hires Local government volunteers during times of need to staff stations. Fortuna VFD is contracted by the state to provide service during drawdown.
“Worked for” is not “employee”, gee whiz genious.
you can’t take back dead!!such an ugly word.sad that he had to end a fight this way,guns don’t solve anything.be kind today to some one!!!Condolences to the family
Nasty looking bugger!
Never trust people with long hair or beards.
Sad story of not respecting people’s PROPERTY and having a goy outlook.
Very sad, also sad what Fortuna has become in the last 15 years.
There was a time when dope WASN’T allowed….
Started with a hydro world opening, now trash blows around.
Sad.
“Never trust people with long hair or beards.” – LMAO that might just be the dumbest statement I’ve ever heard. Thanks for that.
Sounds like sarcasm.
Goy? Oy… af
Apparently friend Honeydew is a Jew and down on Whites. Standard shit. Predictable af.
This event is a loss to everyone. Unlike many, this man contributed to the community. We really can’t afford to loose people like him.
Or maybe a troll laying racist bait…
So you don’t trust redheaded blackbelt?
HOJ don’t either, she’ll kick both our arses into a master belt status.
Thanks for sharing the photo Kym.
Tim was a good honest man, this is a HORRIBLE tradedy! Unfortunately TWO family’s are forever changed. Love and prayer’s for all
It just makes you wonder why a pillar of the community is associated with the suspect .makes you wonder what the victim could warrant be ing shot reportidly 5 times at point blank range .maybe he was mad about the victim s home looked like a fire hazard.
Victim blaming is not a good idea.
As was stated previously the victim & the perp’s wife as well as the victim’s wife all worked to getehre at Bridgeville School!!! Not only that but this is a VERY small community everyone knows everyone else either directly or indirectly!!!! [edit]
I just drove buy that house and there were cars all up ,and down the street. People packing out of there what ever they can carry . Lamp s furniture flotsam and jetsun .there was dust a flying .WTF.
That’s messed up, How much did you grab? Jk
The honesty
Lol Guest no thank you like I said I drove buy the place .
I am absolutely OUTRAGED at some of the comments on here.If you dont know Tim than dont make assumptions and even jokes about this,IM PISSED!!!I have known him for years and he was there when my Mom died,what a wonderful soul he was and God Bless him for all his generosity and care for community.This is heartwrenching and whatever occured I am sure he did not deserve death.Rest in Peace sweet brother and prayers for your children.
[edit: I cannot believe you just wrote that. Don’t do that again on my website or I will ban your ass.]
As I am reading through these comments, I started to reply to many out defensiveness, but decided not to because I know what Jon did was wrong. Then I came across yours, Fritz Harmann. You don’t know the situation or Jon, so don’t judge a book by it’s cover. His wife was beautiful and very sweet and Jon loved her with his entire being. He was not a meth dealer or a meth user you idiot!! I don’t know Tim, but he was obviously a good person and well liked in the community. However, not one is innocent in this situation, not even Tim, rest his soul. My prayers are with Tims family and friends, but also with Jon and his family. And to all the others that have nothing better to do than looking up Jon’s address on Google Earth, don’t forget that marijuana is legal there!! Not that I agree, but it is the law that California voted for.
I’m sorry you had to read that comment. I don’t allow people to talk like that on here. I just hadn’t read it yet as I was gone covering a fire.
Thank you Kym. Do you know what house they were referring as being looted?
Mogtx was apparently referring to Tim’s house but I’m not sure he meant looting.
Exactly how I was feeling on the first post I was sticking up for both sides because I knew the story.. People only hear one side and think the other person is a scum bag.. My old step father told me when I was little there’s always two sides to EVERY coin. Damn was he right.
At this point Tim broke no law , Jon broke the law, and if Tim broke the law in this situation at an earlier date then Jon should have reported it, so as it stands Tim is innocent unlike Jon
~ “I don’t know Tim, but he was obviously a good person and well liked in the community. However, not one is innocent in this situation, not even Tim, rest his soul.”
Response: well are’nt you just making sense…..
Dude, you got Kym to curse at you, impressive!
Ass hole
Prayers to the family of Mr. Smith.
They are associated because their wives worked together. The victim of this tragedy was quite an upstanding citizen and a great example of what a leader should be for this community. I am heartbroken for his wife and children, and heartbroken that this even came to happen. The fact that the value of this man’s life was taken for granted by the gunman is just a shame, and the entire community is grieving right now for the loss of a wonderful member of our community, who shared, taught, and sacrificed much of his time selflessly to improve the lives of the local children, and to share in the positive nature of giving which this community needs so badly right now.
We are all accountable for our own decisions and actions. We can walk away from any situation or relationship if it is not healthy. Crime is crime regardless of the persons intentions or reasoning for acting out. We all have a right to live as we choose – we do not have the right to take another persons life.
Very weird how I said something in the beginning about the affair and what happened and everyone freaked out on me now people are taking it to rumors.
The outcome will affect all involved and the saddest part is kids on both sides are going to have to grow up without their dads. Makes me sad to think that good people left behind from this tragedy may move out of our community at some point. Bumped into Jon a few times this year and almost didn’t recognize him in the booking photo. My guess too is a dispute may have been festering for a bit and anger got the best of him. No excuse though to take a man’s life, rumored to be theft, affair or something else. Condolences to the Smith Family.
The rush to sanctify the dead always makes me uneasy. From what John Chiv had to say, there was definitely 2 sides to this. Condolences to the kids of BOTH families as they struggle to deal with the poor decisions made by the adults.
Poor decisions, or poor decision?
Don…One, maybe two poor decisions and I mention this with non judgement.
Allegations have little value, just like rumors and speculation, Jon changed his life and ended Tim’s life FOREVER fact.
sounds pretty cut and dry! we can stop all the speculation now……Goldberg’s wife sent nudies to Tim Smith, Tim Smith’s wife found them and was not happy with her findings, she then called Goldberg’s wife Rachel and told her what she found on her husband Tim’s phone and that she (Rachel Goldberg) needed to explain this to her husband Jon. Next day Jon Goldberg goes to Tim Smith’s and shoots him dead!
I think I have nudies of Mrs goldberg and alot of other women on my phone too, that was a close one, glad he got the right guy cause I wasn’t sure where they originated, how about just using a polygraph between friends, or is that to much truth?