[Update: HCSO Releases Details on Stalking Arrest] Last Known Person to See Sheila Franks and Danielle Bertolini Alive, Arrested on Stalking Charges

Disclaimer: Mr. Jones should be presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

James Eugene Jones, AKA Jimmy Jones, was arrested by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department on March 3 for two misdemeanors and one felony charge.

HCSO booking photo of James Eugene Jones

North Coast residents may recognize Jimmy Jones’ name, in large part because Jim Jones is widely believed to have been the last person to have seen Danielle Bertolini and Sheila Franks alive. Both Franks and Bertolini went missing in 2014 in the Eel River Valley within days of each other. Partial remains have been found belonging to both women, confirming their deaths, though finding enough evidence to make an arrest has proved elusive.

Though the Fortuna Police Department has said that they have identified a suspect, they have never officially named the suspect.

Redheaded Blackbelt began receiving tips over the weekend that Jones was in the Rio Dell/Scotia area and exhibiting what some described as stalking behavior.

Screenshot of the Humboldt County jail booking logs for March 4, 2024

On Monday, March 4, the Humboldt County Booking Log listed James Eugene Jones as being booked into custody on March 3, at 8:59 p.m. The arresting charges against Jones are listed as misdemeanor possession of methamphetamines, misdemeanor possession of a switchblade knife, and felony stalking.

We have reached out to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department for comment, however, at press time, we have received no response to our request.

Earlier: 

• ‘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
• Skull Found Near Blue Slide Road
• 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
• Sheriff’s Office Releases a Little More Information on Sheila Franks
• Disappeared: Nearly ten years after Danielle Bertolini and Sheila Franks vanished in Humboldt County, family seeks justice

Update 11:14 a.m.: We have updated this article to include the booking photo of James E. Jones obtained from the HCSO’s Crime Graphics website.

Update 1:48 p.m. – Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department: 

On March 1, 2024, at about 8:50 p.m., deputies from Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 100 block of Main St. in Scotia for the report of a male subject who was reportedly loitering and making odd comments to a local business owner.

Upon arrival, deputies located the male subject in the area of Church Street. He was identified as Rio Dell resident, 50-year-old James Jones. He was advised of the complaint and asked to leave the area.

On March 2, at about 8:21 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Communication Center received a call from the same business owner who was reporting the subject had returned and was loitering outside the business again. Jones left the area prior to the deputies’ arrival. The deputies contacted the business owner and provided her information on how to obtain a restraining order.

On March 3, at about 6:18 p.m., HCSO dispatch received another call from the same business owner stating that Jones had returned to her business and was in the parking lot waiting for her. Prior to the deputies’ arrival, dispatch advised the caller was at her residence and she did not feel comfortable going to the business with him there. A few minutes later HCSO dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from her stating Jones was standing outside her residence.

Upon arrival, deputies contacted Jones in the 100 block of Main Street. After further investigation Jones was taken into custody for stalking, possession of a switchblade knife and possession of methamphetamine.

James Jones was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility and booked for (PC 646.9(A)) Stalking, (PC 21510(A)) Possession of a switchblade knife and (HS 11377(A)) Possession of a controlled substance.

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

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