Today Marks the One Year Anniversary of the Unsolved Shooting Death of 85-Year-Old Rancher, Richard Drewry

To the left: Not far from where a gunshot took his life, Richard Drewry’s family built a memorial to him. “[U]nrest still happens every day we drive by his family built memorial,” his son told us. To the right: Richard Drewry.

Patrick Drewry, the son of the victim, told us in an email interview, “Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the day somebody needlessly put a pistol to my fathers head and pulled the trigger…Changing our lives forever.”

But, he said, that law enforcement has been investigating his father’s killing. He explained, “Over the months leading up to today, The Humboldt County Sherriff’s office, The DOJ, and the FBI have been working slowly and methodically to locate the parties responsible for taking our father away.”

He added, “Through months of serving search warrants and following up on rumours and hearsay, we have slowly been able to get a picture of what most likely happened that day as well as possible people involved! With the warrants for satellite intel, cellphone tower dumps, and land line phone records the case has been steadily moving forward.”

Like many in the border area, the victim, Richard Drewry, lived in one county, Mendocino, but maintained deep connections to the neighboring county, Humboldt. Drewry’s family had been ranching in both Humboldt and Mendocino Counties for generations. Patrick Drewry, his son, explained, “His great grandfather settled the ranch in the 1860’s and [it] has stayed the same through 5 generations.”

Born in 1935, Richard Drewry grew up in both counties. The largest part of the ranch he would eventually inherit was located in Mendocino County but he graduated from South Fork High School in Humboldt County and, went to college at Cal Poly after which he married his wife, Phyllis, in 1958. He eventually became a Humboldt County Ag Inspector where he worked for 28 years, according to his family.

Patrick told us that his father, Richard, “loved his ranch and heritage.” He wrote, “[Dad] loved the Winter nights when the rain was hitting the roof and sending him off to sleep. As Spring came closer he was already planning the Spring roundup and branding.” He went onto describe some of the other work that the family did on the ranch. “We had fences to mend and horses to get shod,” he explained. “Also in Spring our dad always planted a garden. A little smaller as he got older.”

There were fun times beyond the hard work, too, Patrick told us. “Summers had my dad making sun tea and lemonade,” he wrote. “We really liked his homemade ice cream and he was proud of that. My dads favorite time of the year on the ranch was the Fall. Deer season, acorns, the leaves falling from the Oaks.”

Bitterness seeping through the words in his email, Patrick wrote, “While driving through his cattle ranch, somebody took the life of an innocent 85 year old man.”

On that morning, one year ago, efforts to save the man’s life were attempted after Drewry was found slumped in his vehicle by a couple. According to a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department press release, “Upon arrival, deputies located an elderly male gunshot victim inside a vehicle parked along the roadway. Deputies performed lifesaving efforts on the victim, however, the man succumbed to his injuries on scene.”

Patrick said, “The person/people that were involved in this killing have had a whole year to go about their lives but we havent quit looking. To the people that know who i am talking about i would like to ask you to come forward earlier than later! The wheels of law enforcement turn slowly but you should know your window of freedom is slowly closing! The sooner you come forward with information will be better than when that window shuts!”

Patrick’s wife, Jennifer Drewry, told us, “Life has not been the same since he was taken from us. We don’t feel safe on our own ranch not knowing who!!”

Samantha Karges, spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department told us that “because this case is an open and ongoing investigation, our Major Crimes Division is unable to talk with you about it at this time. However, we continue to urge anyone in the community who has information about this case to please come forward and speak with our investigators.”

If anyone has any information about this case, please contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department at (707) 445-7251.

Earlier:

• One Person Reported to Have a Gunshot Wound Near Island Mountain Road
• Shooting in Southeastern Humboldt County Fatal, Says Sheriff’s Office
• Sheriff’s Department Requests Public’s Help in Shooting Death Investigation
• 85-Year-Old Rancher Killed By Unknown Person in Bell Springs Area: Findings From Autopsy and Investigation Reveal Shooting Was Homicide, Says Sheriff’s Department
•  Today, Mendocino County Sheriff Detectives Are Assisting Humboldt County Law Enforcement Investigating Bell Springs’ Homicide
• Richard Grayson Drewry: Rancher, Entertainer, Father