Sheriff’s Office Releases a Little More Information on Sheila Franks

Information from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 06-10-2019, a citizen located what was believed to be a human bone.  The bone was found near the mouth of the Eel River and delivered to the Coroner’s Office.  Investigators from the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office responded to the area and conducted a search in an attempt to locate further items or remains.  None were located.  The bone was examined by anthropologists and then sent to the DOJ Bureau of Forensic Services laboratory in Richmond, Ca. for DNA testing.  The Sheriff’s Office had previously secured DNA from family members and that was used in the comparisons.  In September, the Sheriff’s Office received written notice from the DOJ that the bone was in fact a femur belonging to that of Shelia Franks.

As to the status of the cases, both (Franks and Bertolini) are open investigations.  The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency on the Shelia Franks case and Fortuna Police Department is the lead investigating agency in the case involving Danielle Bertolini.  Both agencies continue to work closely together and share information.  The cause and manner of death are undetermined at this time.  The case is not labeled “Homicide”, however, it is suspicious and is being investigated accordingly.  As to a “person of interest” versus “suspect,” no changes have been made to this point.  The person of interest is the same in both cases.

The Sheriff’s Office and Fortuna Police Department encourage anyone with information in either case to contact investigators at 707-445-7251 or 707-268-2539.

Updated Timeline of Important Events in the Disappearance of Sheila Franks (age 37 at the time she went missing) and Danielle Bertolini (age 23 at the time she went missing):

• On January 11, 2014, Sheila Franks was reportedly last seen in Eureka. (Info from here)
• On January 29, 2014 was the last day family had contact with  Danielle Bertolini. (Info from here) (Also from here)
• February 2, 2014 is a date that a person of interest in both Sheila’s and Danielle’s cases reportedly said he last saw Sheila. (Unverified info from here). Note: Other information says that the son of the person of interest received a text from Sheila and that was the last known communication but we have not been able to verify that. Nor do we know when it was sent.)
• On February 9, 2014 Danielle was last seen near Bridgeville in the Swains Flat area. According to NBC News, “The then 23-year-old was reportedly supposed to get a ride into town, but she never arrived. The man who officials say picked Bertolini up was also the last person seen with Sheila Franks, who vanished on February 2nd, 2014.” (Info from here)
• On February 19, 2014 Missing person’s report filed on Danielle Bertollini. (Info from here)
• On March 11, Family of Danielle Bertolini offer $5000 reward for her return. (Info from here)
•  On March 13, 2014 Fortuna Police forwarded missing person report on Sheila Franks to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. (Info from here)
• On May 26, 2014, the families of both Sheila and Danielle join together to search for their missing loved ones. Over the next week they search multiple areas.
• March 2015,  Fortuna Police Chief Bill Dobberstein went on record with NBC News saying he believed both Sheila and Danielle’s case were related. “[W]e have identified a person of interest in both cases and it’s the same man,” he told them. “We aren’t releasing his name at this time.” (Info from here)
• On March 9, 2015, a skull was found in the Blue Slide area north of Rio Dell (Info from here) that was later identified as Danielle’s. (Info from here) See also this more in depth piece here.
• On April 1, 2015 The two women, Sheila and Danielle, are combined with three others in a campaign to highlight their loss–The Humboldt Missing Five. (Info from here)
• Over July 18 and 19 2015, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office searches Blue Slide area north of Rio Dell where Danielle’s skull was found. But no more remains are located. (Info from here)
• On May 27, 2015 Family of Danielle notified that the skull located on March 9 was hers. (Info from here)
• On October 4, 2016 Crime Watch Daily highlights the Humboldt Missing Five. (Info from here). The Humboldt Missing Five is a story carried by multiple national news outlets.
• On June 10 2019, a femur belonging to Sheila Franks was located near Loleta at the mouth of the Eel River. (Info from here)
• September 2019, family of Sheila Franks is told that DNA from the femur found in June matches her DNA. (Info from here)

Earlier Chapters:

• ‘At Risk’ Woman Last Seen in Fortuna Sought
• Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Looking for Missing Rio Dell Woman
• $5000 Reward Offered By Family For Return of Missing Fortuna Woman
• Families and Law Enforcement Search for Two Missing Women
• Efforts to Find Missing Humboldt Women Continue
• Maine Media Covers Missing Humboldt Woman
• Memorial Planned for Missing Woman’s Birthday
• Missing: Jessica Nieman, Danielle Bertolini, Sheila Franks, Jeff Joseph
• The Humboldt Five: “So Many Missing From Such a Small Area”
• Balloon Release For Missing Woman’s Birthday
• Crime Program to Look at ‘Missing and Murdered’ in Humboldt County
• In a Press Release Today, Family States Missing Woman’s Skull Positively Identified, Urges Search for Second Woman Continue
• Femur of Missing Woman, Sheila Franks, Identified; Found Downstream of Where Danielle Bertolini’s Remains Were Located