Bear River Rancheria Triple Homicide Suspect Refuses Extradition Unless Humboldt County District Attorney Drops Special Circumstances
Mauricio Eduardo Sanchez-Johnson [Screenshot from the Tooele County, Utah courthouse]
The criminal complaint filed by the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office accuses Sanchez-Johnson of special allegations stemming from personally and intentionally discharging a firearm causing death or great bodily injury and personally using a handgun. This connects to a special circumstance in the case resulting from having multiple victims that Sanchez-Johnson and his attorney want to be dropped.
The Utah Public Defender Brad Schofield told Judge Dianna Gibson he had not had the opportunity to speak with Sanchez-Johnson’s attorney, Andrea Sullivan, about the ultimatum and requested two weeks to provide time to speak with Sullivan about facilitating the extradition.
Sanchez-Johnson’s attorney Andrea Sullivan told us she reached out to the Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Flemming twice regarding the possibility of dropping the special circumstances. Currently, with the special circumstances applied, Sullivan said Sanchez-Johnson could face a capital case which could result in the death penalty or the possibility of life in prison without parole.
Sullivan told District Attorney Flemming in an email that “if she would like to get Mauricio, drop the special circumstances and makes this a non-capital case.” Sullivan told us she has yet to hear back from Flemming.
Judge Gibson scheduled the next hearing regarding Sanchez-Johnson’s extradition to March 16 3:30 p.m. MST.
Sanchez-Johnson-Lopez is accused of the February 10 shooting and killing of three Bear River Rancheria residents, including his friend, 16-year-old Shelly Mae Autumn Moon, Shelly’s mother Margarett Lee Moon, and Margarett’s 40-year-old fiance Nikki Dion Metcalf.
Sanchez-Johnson fled Humboldt County accompanied by Von Eric Keener and an unidentified woman. The group was arrested in Utah on Interstate 80 after officers deployed spike strips to halt their pursuit. Currently, Sanchez-Johnson is in a Utah detention center held without an opportunity for bail until he is extradited to Humboldt County.
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He killed 3 people. How is it he gets any special consideration?
I agree. He killed three people he should get life in prison or death! He obviously didn’t care about those people’s lives.
Free Maury
FREE MAURY
Wtf y’all trippin keep him locked up
Only thing i can gather is he’s innocent until proven guilty
Right
I just learned a triple homicide killer can refuse extradition in California… thankfully Utah still has the death penalty unlike California b/c Gavin Newsom.
Actually California does still have the death penalty
I agree. Why does he get a choice?
If you mean “special circumstances” it means the DA is pursuing charges that qualify him for the death penalty.
“Consideration” wasn’t used in the press release.
Thank you. Your nicev I was going to let them see you on themselves for a while lol. Know Your Law people special circumstances means they’re going for the big one the death penalty big one the big one the death penalty
👌
If Ms Flemming refuses to this ultimatum what happens then? Does he stay in Utah? Can he be tried in Utah?
What is the point of Utah asking for the Special Circumstances to be dropped? What does Utah have to gain?
What is the difference in sentencing if Special Circumstances are dropped? What could be the maximum sentence if not life without parole or death penalty? Are they thinking he is young enough to be rehabilitated and released some day?
Utah isn’t asking for special circumstances to be dropped. The attorney and this kid are. He needs to sign a form to be transferred back and he won’t until he gets what he wants.
He will be brought back no matter what they wont drop it only thing he can do is prolong it
It happened on federal property, Utah has nothing to bargain. It would be wise of Mr. HOMICIDES ATTORNEY TO GET MR. HOMICED BACK TO FACE CHARGES AND BE HEARD.
It’s not Utah asking It’s his lawyer here.
In short if he signs the waiver he comes back. If he does not sign it they have a hearing in Utah to see if it is a legit case and they send him anyway. Stupid entitled little F@#& that is an over simplication but basiclly what happens.
Chances are he will plea bargin and be out long before he should. If he gets 30 years eligable for parole in 12 or so then they will pribably let him out due to his age at the time of the crime and it would be mean to destroy the life of someone so young. Screw the victims and their famlies from here on out its all about his rights.
They will pay lip service to the victims and their families but that is all it is bullshit lip service. Look at all the animals they let out due to coved becuse they might get sick. Did they give the same consideration to the physical and mental well being of their victims? Nope …….
Meee is right on point. He will still be a relatively young man when the state of California releases him to once again terrorize his fellow citizens.
Meee is correct that if Sanchez-Johnson signs the waiver, he will be transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility and arraigned in Humboldt County Superior Court.
If he declines to sign the waiver, he is entitled to a hearing, not as to the facts of the case, but whether the government has complied with the law regarding extradition. https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title77/Chapter30/C77-30_1800010118000101.pdf
In California, the process includes what’s called an identity or identification hearing at which the prosecution must prove that they have the right person.
Right now, the fact that Sanchez-Johnson faces “special circumstances” means that if he is convicted of the charges he will be sentenced either to the death penalty or life without parole. I would challenge anyone claiming that he’s going to get a lenient plea bargain to provide an example of someone else being charged with a special circumstances murder and then receiving a light sentence. Serving 12 actual years in prison would be considered an extremely light sentence.
To be clear, there is absolutely no reporting on this case indicating that the Humboldt County District Attorney is considering a plea bargain in this case. The article states that his California attorney is doing her job by asking for the special circumstances allegation to be dismissed.
Ya well look what they did with Marci Kitchen that piece of shit got out after only serving 3 years and she killed 2 kids
She didn’t serve 3 years. She was out in a year or less is what I remember. Disgusting!
Thanks for that clarification, Honest Abe.
Well I have seen to many lenient sentences over the years to count. Humboldt fry’s one child molester a year and puts it all over the papers but all the other plea bargain and give probation to. There are several cases where murders plea bargain to manslaughter and get 6 years. My guess is this POS will plea bargain if they drop special circumstances and be out in 12-15 years. Please do NOT take my word for it. Court records are public information. In fact Kym great piece on how plea bargains work. The key is look at the actual crime not the conviction. For instance many people in for “possession” really were big time dealers, violent hurt a lot of people the plea bargain to possession thus we hear this BS narrative of these poor people that are in prison just for having some drugs because they are a simple addict. It is all lies, they did a lot worse but avoided a long sentence by plea bargain to lesser charges, the courts are backed up already so the DA called it a win as does the defense. In the mean time the victim is left with physical and /or mental scars and no one cares.
The crime is a federal capital murder case and all rights that one has being accused of this crime certainly diminish some. He could be labeled a terrorist and have no trial so says the patriot act of 2001.
Absolutely Correct. He will just face extradition trial if he challenges extradition. He has all the time in his world….. those charges stand pending whenever he arrives to face his demons.
So wrong on so many levels he killed three people and left children with out a parent and sibling no more discussion
he should not be able to refuse he killed three people he deserves to die
I thought you are innocent until proven guilty!!! Who knows all the circumstances??
If he’s so innocent why did he run
Exactly
Good point
What circumstances justify the killing of three people?
He should be executed in Utah. Forget about this POS. The Mormons still have a firing squad also.
Fun times!
Pfft don’t mean shit. He can fight extradition but Ca will just get a governor’s warrant and convey him back here, just with a 2 week delay.
Although AFAIC they can keep him.
we are talking about CALIFORNIA here. and the kid is technically a person of color, so a different justice system applies. one with the word social in front of it.
Please. You’re bs theory won’t apply in jail, dude. Latino boys get special treatment? Try bottom bunk for the next thirty years, til he’s crippled..
In california jails and prisons child killers are among the most detested inmates. Reguardless of his etnicity, he will be attacked and probably killed in prison for killing a child. Rest assured he won’t be living comfortably in prison.
He still has rights doesn’t matter. In the court of law you are innocent UNTIL proven guilty. That can only happen in trial with 12 jurors. Unless he pleads guilty then he gives up all his rights. He has a public defender for the charges of being a fugitive in Utah and a lawyer for the charges of murder in California. Ummm why if he can afford a lawyer in California is he assigned a public defender in Utah?
Attorneys are certified by state. So unless his California attorney was certified in Utah, she can’t appear for him.
So wouldn’t that mean he has a Utah attorney who is probably just doing their job, encouraging the kids to use what little leverage he has now?
Seems smart to me, if he can get death/life off the table now, would be dumb not to
And LOL @ all the people saying he shouldn’t have Rights.. her hasn’t been convicted and i wouldn’t want the cops to be our judges and juries
Patriot act, no trial, held indefinitely, must be what the dude is wanting. He wants to hold up in Utah, it will be his best interest to come back where he has to answer to the charges against him.
Did I misremember that the woman who fled to Utah with Sanchez-Johnson was his mother?
The assumption is that the woman in the other car was his mother but that has not been confirmed to the best of my memory.
Mellisa Johnson Sanchez is Mauriceos mother Ms Kemp. I would like to mention I am a close neighbor of the victims and a tribal member of Bear River band. The crime was carried out on federal trust land and murder is capital. If one is accused of capital murder, then hear it in federal courts. Humboldt County needs to motion to move this case to federal court. There is always the patriot act also, no trail for terrorist crimes. The children that have no mom or older sister will live in terror for years to come. The man needs to answer for the crimes he is charged with. He needs questioned and the comunity needs answers.
Resident BRBRR, you seem to be one of the more knowledgeable people in the comment thread. I have a question. If the crime took place on federal trust land, why doesn’t it automatically go to the federal court system? And if it isn’t something that happens as a matter of routine, who decides?
I don’t think all Rancheria’s are Federal and don’t fall under the BIA otherwise it would be under federal jurisdiction.
Wiki-
“The Spanish term for small Indian settlements. Rancherías are a particular California institution. A small area of land was set aside around an Indian settlement to create a ranchería. Some rancherías developed from small communities of Indians formed on the outskirts of American settlements who were fleeing Americans or avoiding removal to the reservations. […] With the passage of Public Law 83-280 in the mid-1950s, terminating federal supervision and control over California tribes, some 40 rancherías lost the right to certain federal programs, and their lands no longer had the protection of federal status. In 1983, a lawsuit resulted in restoring federal recognition to 17 rancherías, with others still waiting for the reversal of their termination.”
-White, Phillip. California Indians and Their Reservations: An Online Dictionary. San Diego State University Library. Rancheria. Retrieved 30 September 2019
The Tribal Council would need to motion the court to move to Federal court or the district attorney can make that call also. The case being world news, the county will hold on to the case for a while I’d think. It will be moved to a federal court most likely.
The victims received the death penalty against their will so…
Caveat: I’m not an attorney but I’ve watched one on TV.
My impression is that this simply means that the DA will have to send someone to Utah to argue in front of a judge that he should be extradited to Humboldt county to stand trial. It means added delays and expense because they’ll have to produce some evidence or argument that he warrants extradition and the judge will have to agree. But it ultimately doesn’t prevent his being returned to stand trial on capital charges.
All the waiver does is shortcut that process and speed things up. The attorney is just trying to leverage this process to reduce the risk to her client — which is what you pay attorneys to do.
Yes, he is innocent until proven guilty, but fortunately common sense also applies. If he was truly “innocent” they would turn him loose, I’m sure that you don’t want that. So, get real with the innocent until proven guilty crap, because you sound like parrots, repeating nonsense.
He has the right to a fair trial and that is all that he deserves.
Thank you, we all know the mantra, but innocent, come on let’s just say he is un-convicted of murder until proven guilty, he is about as innocent as OJ.
Just let him out, we’re in a pandemic people.
Innocent until there is proof
Tell that to the coroner and the folks that investigated here. He will try to leverage everything he can but the truth is he doesn’t have much leverage. I imagine the three people they carried out of the house in body bags has an impact on whether they think he is innocent or guilty.
People are dying.
Does he realize the Feds can take over the case since it happened on tribal land, and hence can be tried in federal court? Fine, send him to trial and if he is found guilty, send him to a Federal USP lol
True story, also could face terrorist charges and invoke the patriot act. No trial no lawyer no rights. He is getting a bargain even getting a hearing.
As far as the Capital charges he’ll be more likely to die or old age than execution in California.
For me personally, I would rather be executed than spend the rest of life in jail. I think in most cases where there is clear guilt that life in prison is cruel and unusual punishment. Luckily, I have never had to make that decision.
Sanchez- Lopez? These news publishers need to do their jobs better.
I’m sorry. There was one place that Matt incorrectly named the defendant. I’ve fixed that one issue.
Mauricio* not maurcio.
After I got through swearing at myself, I fixed it. Thank you.
Dear Ms. Sullivan:
As a former resident of Humboldt County and now a resident of Utah, I kindly request that you please cease your silly and futile legal delaying tactic that is impeding your client from quickly returning to California. As it stands, your client’s presence in Utah is serving to unnecessarily consume our resources and pollute our state.
Thank you and goodbye.
Wow. Beyond tragic no winners here no matter the results of any future actions. The mental flaw to think this was okay. To have a CHILD be so callous, how? He made a choice, a horrendous, bad, ridiculous choice even to be there with ANY SHADY INTENT! Now he is afraid of the consequences, give me a break…cripe. How could a person of interest or suspicion for a crime like this think for a FLEETING MOMENT that they would duck out on charges? A jury may not be real forgiving or dismissive just sayin’. I am sorry this happened. 😥 My heart goes out to all the families for your losses.
💔💔💔💔💔💔
First off he is not a child he is an adult so screw him
Second saying he made a bad choice really minimizes the fact he slaughterd three people. Making a bad choice not making the right decision is not getting an A on yourschool test.
So take a look at a murder scene sometime with the bodies there
In cact go find this victims famlies and tell them he is just a kid and made a bad chioce……i dare you
Context for you Meee
How DOES THIS EVER HAPPEN?
It is never okay.
Chatter he was caught with his momma that’s the child part.
If true how could a momma defend or dismiss the horrific tragedy.
She can’t.
Yes bad decisions.
He thought this up.
Planned, acted on his thoughts.
Did not seek help, allowed it to escape out of his head.
Took 3 souls by choice.
Left 2 souls by choice.
Fled by choice.
Refusing to sign by choice.
Like that cry baby action is going to change his trajectory.
How do we prevent horrific bad choices so these events do not keep happening. Reminds me of the Laytonville tragedy.
I’m sorry families for your pain and losses.
Terrible, tragic situation.
😥💔😭
I hope Peggy Flemming doesn’t screw this one up like she did a double homicide in Freshwater.
Peggy Flemming, wasn’t she a world-famous ice skater, not a DA?
Oops you are right Maggie is the dingbat twin sister.
He will be extradited! That will happen. It’s the law. They do not need his permission. That’s laughable. This is a triple homicide capital murder case. He has forfeited his right to ever walk among us again. He will get natural life and the only way he will leave San Quentin is in a box. He slaughtered three people including a child. He made children left to be motherless and fatherless on this planet. He has caused unmeasurable suffering to many for the rest of their lives. He has changed the trajectory of many lives including his own. These are the consequences for mass murder. I have no sympathy for monsters. I don’t care if he had less than others; billions on this planet had less than him.
Humboldt County just has to Submit to the State of California, and Request a Governor’s Warrent. If issued,By Governor Newsom,they Do Not need the Kid’s Signature.
ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT BEING MY BABY SISTER MY NIECE & BROTHER IN LAW THAT HE MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD HE SHOT THEM IN THE HEAD & INTENDED TO KILL THEM & HE SUCCEDED & NOT ONLY THAT HE DID IT IN FRONT OF MY OTHER NEICE & NEPHEW & THERE’S NOTHING ANYONE CAN SAY OR DO TO EVER MAKE THIS CORRECT…..BUT I HONESTLY BELIEVE AN EYE FOR AN EYE & NOT ONE LIFE BUT “3” LIVES FOR A LIFE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR ME …. IM JUST SAYING…. AS ONE OF HER OLDER SISTERS…..
[edit] It may take a few weeks maybe longer for him to be extradited and then he will drag out the trial for as long as he can and just the thought of him being able to breath while your loved ones breath was taking by him is to much pain for anyone to have to feel. What I want to know and I’m sure what everyone else wants to know is what turned him into this evil monster? What triggered his brain to make him feel that killing 3 people was the right thing to do? And where did he get a loaded gun? Was it premeditated murder?
Once again I’m truly sorry for the loss of your loved ones and I pray that the two youngsters that witnessed this horrible crime will be able to heal from this in time.
I am so sorry for your loss. Love and prayers to you and your family.
its wild to think entire communities used to gather together and witness a hanging of his sorts
It’s wild to think that I used to think that was creepy and bad. Because it’s starting to sound like a real good solution for violent criminals that our courts won’t keep locked up
Did it ever stop crime though? Did it make society even feel safer? It was probably just an entertaining public spectacle that only made criminals feel more desperate when they looked to be caught rather than made them rationally evaluate what they want with the consequences before making choosing. All people know is they want something and most don’t have the inclination to examine any further.
He should be returned to Humboldt and face the charges pending. Let him stand before a jury of his peers to determine his guilt or innocence. He has the right to plead his innocence. Come home and convince us.
He needs the maximum punishment. He willingly shot and killed 3 people in cold blood. Our nations justice system is a joke!!
*DISGUSTING* entitled piece of $hit.
And, Mommy helped him run away?
Awful family values…..
Side note: since when can you continue to wear jewelry in jail?? The entire country has gone mad!
I think the Jewelry is a door knob behind his ear.
It is.
Thank you for clarifying Kym. My mistake.
No worries. I blew up the photo before I posted it because I wasn’t sure either.
Thank you for having better eyesight than I.
I like David comment.
This did happen on Tribal Land which is Federal Government. So why hasn’t the Feds taken over this case? And cut through the B.S. and get him back to California Federal Court?
He made his choice in taking the lives of 3 people, went on the run across many state lines. With the aid of his mom and her boyfriend.
The Feds can just go in and get him and bring him back.
I imagine the defense will play up his baby face. His looks will be used to illustrate that he is “just a child himself, making a horrible, tragic mistake… but a child who will grow and learn.” You watch… they won’t have him growing a mustache or anything of the kind for the duration.
Maybe every time that mug is shown, media should be sure to also feature a photo of his 16-year-old victim’s face.
Ah, another soon-to-be resident of Punk City.
The crime was executed on federal trust property which makes it a capital crime anyways. There is no excuse for the municipal courts hearing this case. This need to be heard in supreme federal court and extradition is not up for bargaining. Simple as that.
TO BAD THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN IN TEXAS.
they actually have these things called “LAWS”.
Texas has an express lane to the electric chair. California could learn a few things
Toss this P. O. Shit into a white unmarked van and take him wherever the hell he needs to go to face charges. Who gives a shit what he thinks or wants to negotiate.
I know there is laws to protect him to be able to call his shots. Yet police won’t arrest heroine dealers because of covid. WTF.
Don’t forget that two younger siblings saw him shoot the 3 sister, Mom and boyfriend.