Woman Killed in Valley West Encampment Overnight
A Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s vehicle and an Arcata Police unit were on scene Friday morning at a Valley West area homeless encampment where a homicide was discovered overnight. [Photo by Trisha Ridenour]
Arcata Police are investigating a homicide of a female victim that occurred overnight in a homeless encampment in the 4700 block of Valley West Blvd in the northern area of their city.
Lt. Luke Scown of the Arcata Police Department confirmed early this morning that officers responded to a call reporting the incident sometime overnight and discovered the victim at the scene.
“We do have a person of interest we’re speaking with,” Scown said, adding that the individual is also homeless. He emphasized that detectives do not believe there is any danger to the wider public at this time.
Scown said that at this time no further details about the victim, cause of death, or the person of interest can be released at this point.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
UPDATE:
- Man Arrested for Murder by Arcata Police
- From Suspected Homicide to Accidental Overdose: Arcata Police Follow Evidence in Woman’s Death
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Homeless camps are cesspools of crime including sexual assault, drug use and theft and should not be tolerated.
Want more homeless and more crime? — Ignore the camps.
Want to reduce homelessness? — Dismantle the camps and don’t let them get reestablished.
Question is what do we do with all the homeless. They have to go someplace. I agree with you but all your plan will do is.push them into neighborhoods. Many need to be locked up in mental homes for life. Many need to go to prison for life etc etc.
One of the big things to do is quit enabling their lifestyle with welfare and free shit. Make them work for things if they are able to. It amazes me they can stand on a street corner begging for money for 80 hours a week but not at a store checkout for a job.
Great job you guys…you’ve got it all figured out!
The number of untreated mentally ill abandoned on our streets is tragic for them — LPS, adopted in 1967 — needs to be amended to allow for the involuntary confinement and treatment of obviously mentally ill people who are daily being victimized by predators and who are suffering and dying on our streets.
And there are the drug addicts and career criminals who should also be confined unless they can change their ways.
There’s also a large contingent of opportunistic homeless who have other options but choose to live in semi-permanent camps — break up the camps and you’ll find out who had other options — ignore the camps and watch them grow.
Another great way to enable homelessness is giving money to panhandlers so they can buy drugs, booze and cigs.
CareNotCash
Didn’t actually work out that way …
Only people abandoning them is their families and communities who have had enough of their addiction and behavior, the reason most don’t have a roof over their head is because they have addictions where they steal and rob family members and friends, they burn everyone they know or are dangerous, once you screw everybody you know over and get so strung out you have mental illness, nobody want you around. It’s that simple! Don’t wanna be homeless addicted on the streets? Then don’t do drugs!
Reading comprehension?
My comment about being abandoned applied only to the mentally ill — not drug addicts.
The large number of mentally ill people cast adrift on our streets is a disgrace.
Nobody listen to this guy, he very clearly isn’t an expert in homelessness
You wouldn’t know. Lots of people become homeless because of life problems and develop addictions only after they have to go into the streets. There’s lots of homeless who don’t do ANY drugs, or even drink or smoke. Drugs and homeless aren’t mutually exclusive, that’s not how this works lol. Also, society doesn’t give a Damn about people who are mentally challenged and they will just let them fail and then they end up on the streets and maybe then the wrong people take them in. People like you, liars, make it hard to have an actual discussion on helping the community when you push false narratives to spread bias and paint an entire community with a broad brush
We cared for her and tryed to help with addiction she just kept her ways Long Live Carie
I agree with no more freebies. If these folks need mental health assistance, put them in hospital. If they are drug addicts, rehab with consequences.
But above all, let’s make sure Argentina gets the $20,000,000,000.
And cut back on essential services for us here in ‘merica.
Give them 3 options: Rehab, mental health facility if they can not care for themselves they are in danger if they don’t fit either of the prior then arrest them and put them in Jail.
Holding Newsom accountable his HelpTheHomelessConjob is a good start.
Things that will never happen for $1000, Alex.
Newsom took $26 billion to reduce the homelessness problem from 35,000 to 175,000
Lock them up or send them to mental facility or rehab. We got to take a stand before Humboldt turns into San Francisco with thousands of mental drug addicts every where we turn.
Would you hire them?
Would customers go to their check register?
I know many people who are not homeless and struggle to find any job that pays a livable wage, yet you expect homeless people with no decent clothes, adequate hygene facilities, sometimes little education or skills, mental and physical conditions to get a decent job. Do you know how much money it takes to move into a dwelling IF you can find something affordable. But your easy answer is throw them in a mental hospitable or prison (which will cost the government far more than any welfare they get) to solve this problem. Smart right?
Must be nice to only live in the 1st world mind frame.
Yeah, pardon me for believing we as a society have the right to hold everyone to minimal standards of behavior.
Seemed the entire county showed up in March to urge the city council NOT to pass the homeless encampment ordinance which would have required those cited to participate in services. It was shot down by ignorant citizens.https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2025/may/21/bad-ordinance-it-needs-be-rewritten-eureka-city-co/
Aren’t they *virtuous* ⁉️
Let us start with YOU
Yeah, instead of third world Arcata!
same could be said for certain wealthy, powerful and well established institutions. They get a pass because they do their dirty deeds in ivory towers behind expensive closed doors in expensive clothes? Many are either living large on far more tax payer dollars or just exempt from contributing at all. They’re often held on pedestals and advance their power and monetary weath as they burn the world. “It is no measure of a healthy mind to be well adjusted in a sick society “.
The woman who was murdered only recently became homeless because of an unjust eviction. Her adult children, family and friends are grieving the tragic loss of her. I suspect the perp is someone fairly unknown to that community. Believe it or not criminals with a propensity for that kind of violence aren’t tolerated in those communities. The homeless in that part of arcata are generally relatively chill. I’d be surprised to find this atrocity was committed by a regular local homebum. Also, she was not in fact found at an encampment, it was in the field between the Hampton Inn and Ray’s shopping center. As you can see in the photo of where the sheriffs coroner truck is, behind the harbor freight docking area.
Get the spare room cleaned out. A couple who lost their rental will be moving in tomorrow.
And try to get them out again, it will be impossible thanks to Newsance’s squatters rights. They can take over your home!
And if you try to remove them by force from your own house that they are destroying them the sheriff can arrest you for whatever they say- assault being at the top of the list. There was a time when if a guy was destroying your house and refusing to leave you could throw his crap out of your house and then forcibly remove him. Somehow we allowed the lawyers to turn that around. Now it is upside-down world for us and so…I will never again try to help a random in that way. It’s crazy that we have created a hostile world for the good samaritans….
In addition to the Section 8 program, Arcata House Partnership (AHP) offers Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Rapid Re-Housing vouchers, which provide rental subsidies along with case management services to help individuals and families achieve long-term stability. These programs are intended for those who are chronically homeless or at risk of homelessness and are prioritized based on need. AHP’s PSH vouchers are designed as long-term support, potentially lasting a lifetime as long as the participant continues to qualify.
Arcata house likes to claim they do alot, but really dont!!
AAMOF I’ve given housing to several homeless people — one morning they were in a shelter — or living in their car — or at the river — or on the railroad tracks — and that evening they were housed — without any paperwork or govt. assistance and with rent as low as zero.
It’s easy to make wisecracks but how many homeless people have you housed?
Yeah everybody is entitled to the right to move a homeless drug addicted mentally ill person into their home; Everyone should do it today! I mean, look how this homeless person treated this other homeless person, sleep well knowing you got a homeless mentally ill drug addicts sleeping in the next room, hope your bedroom door locks….
She wasn’t homeless, she was a mother of 5 and she was a sister, and Niece and a friend of many. She had a great personality She was generous and caring to about anyone she met. She was a beautiful person and to hear some of what you say sickens me e.she didn’t deserve this and whoever took her life I hope you got in hell .
Thanks for sharing the tragic backstory. People living on the streets are still people, after all. This reminds me painfully of what happened to Hannah Hayhurst.
This is where all the no kings protestors come from ; homeless drug infested mentally ill camps.
Your comment is a cesspool of fake news and fear mongering.
The lady that was murdered was a very nice lady and one of my favorite customers.
Want to reduce homelessness? How about make housing a human right like it was for thousands of years instead of letting this exploitative system keep screwing people over
You’re obviously affected by the loss of someone you knew and liked but you’re either an apologist or in denial about what goes on in homeless camps.
And in most cases substance abuse and/or untreated mental illness is the primary problem facing the homeless — not housing.
I’m so sick of this mental poop that poses as problem solving. Before you jail for life,or hospitalize,consider why the homeless population is steady rising….
Is everyone just deciding that crazy and addicted is the new housed and healthy. Quit making enemies with the people that precede you into this fray. Think a little, but act a lot.
The fastest-growing segment of the population becoming homeless is older adults, particularly those aged 50 and older. By some estimates, this population could nearly triple by 2030. A growing portion of this group is experiencing homelessness for the first time in their lives.
Reasons for the increase
Stagnant incomes versus rising costs: Many older adults are on fixed incomes, such as Social Security. For many, these benefits have not kept pace with soaring housing and healthcare costs, making it increasingly difficult to afford rent.
Insufficient retirement savings: A significant number of older adults have little or no retirement savings. Recessions and other economic setbacks throughout their lives have left them with few financial safety nets.
Destabilizing life events: A major crisis, such as a medical emergency, the death of a partner, or job loss, can wipe out any limited savings and rapidly lead to homelessness.
Lack of affordable and accessible housing: The limited stock of affordable and accessible housing options, especially units that accommodate disabilities, poses a major barrier for older adults.
Inadequate social safety nets: Social assistance programs can be difficult to access and are often designed with restrictions that limit who can qualify.
Systemic factors: People of color, particularly older Black, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander individuals, are disproportionately affected due to the long-term impact of discriminatory housing and economic policies.
Consequences for older adults
The rise in older adult homelessness creates a complex crisis with significant consequences:
Unique health challenges: Homeless older adults experience more severe physical and mental health issues at an earlier age compared to the housed population, with needs comparable to those 10 to 20 years older.
Overburdened shelter systems: Homeless shelters are often ill-equipped to provide the specialized care needed for an aging population dealing with complex medical conditions, cognitive impairments, and disabilities.
Vulnerability to violence: Older adults experiencing homelessness are at greater risk of neglect, exploitation, and abuse.
I don’t disagree with most of what you say (which mostly appears to be lifted from the internet without attribution) but there’s zip, zero, zilch, nada acknowledgement that drug and alcohol abuse are major contributing factors to homelessness and mental health is only passingly mentioned in terms of older adults — which ignores the large number of homeless individuals aged 20-55 who are mentally off the rails — often exacerbated by drugs and alcohol.
Any attempts at housing will be short lived failures without effective treatment for mental health and substance abuse.
Great idea. Better idea…have a place to let them live
IMHO:
>”… emphasized that detectives do not believe there is any danger to the wider public at this time.”
Probably not… that area is a ‘No-Go-Zone’ for most knowledgeable Arcata residents.
Arcata NIMBYs went way out of their way to make that “an approved houselessness zone”!
Arcata cops always say this. Even when a crazy murderer is on the loose. Officer Bar-Brady runs Arcata PD. “Nothing to see. Move along. Everything is fine”…yeah, sure
I think it’s more like Sgt Schultz: “I see nothing…”
Ship them to the Seattle area. It has a welcoming ambiance for the homeless. Plenty of free cardboard for construction. Lots of government handouts.
Look all homeless are not mentally ill or harmful. They mostly are in drugs. I’ve been homeless before in humboldt and I was probably in every single encampment that they have, i’ve never been harmed.I’ve never been sexually assaulted.I’ve just got very high that’s a very sad situation, but they’re not dangerous.They are on drugsThough i’ve been clean five years, a lot of the people that I knew back then are all dead from the fentanyl.So it’s sad I agree they need to go to rehab.But not to jail forever or ship to seattle
Good to hear the voice of experience. Congratulations on staying clean!
Congrats. I am glad you are a success story.
Right on and thanks for speaking up! I’ve met many and have friendly relationships w some. Through dogs! It’s horrific to me to see some friendly kids get so tore up on the drugs. But they keep their decent core values. Not rapists and murderers just f-ups. I’m bummed Arcata is so loose with hard drugs and Arcata PD does nothing about hard drugs and the whole town seems to be just fine w dealers of hard drugs distributing them here. And I’m an old stoner acidhead!! But really- clean up the drugs and you’ll see huge improvement. Somehow people don’t want that….
It is up to the individual to make the decision whether or not to use drugs or alcohol, wouldn’t you agree.
I for one wouldn’t start using drugs just because they are more available.
The only one I truly agree with is the lady who has been homeless! I’ve never been on the streets and only because I did crime in my addiction. I always had the pride that sent me to prison multiple times to good to be homeless. I’m clean now and changed my life but recently my wife and I were trying to move to Humboldt and I got a job at Bayshore which is right where many homeless reside. I’m from Redding and be thankful every person I met homeless and not are nice here. I would bring ice down to them and try to help when I could because of the stark difference in attitude there. I say have a chat with a few maybe give a few a task for pay and you will have a different opinion of them. If you had some bad luck or an addiction I doubt you would want to be thrown in prison for it.
Homelessness is not a crime, and being without shelter doesn’t make someone dangerous. What’s dangerous is when we stop seeing each other as part of the same community. If we want to reduce harm, we need to stop turning away and start turning toward each other. That means showing up, speaking out, and working together—housed and unhoused—to build safety through compassion, not exclusion.
Man, and some of you here call yourselves christians! What would baby Jesus say about your values?
Nada. Baby Jesus hasn’t learned to talk yet.
This woman is not a homeless person. She has an apartment in Valley West. I’ve known her for years. Very sweet girl. Super tragic. R.I.P.
Your comment is actually incorrect… she recently lost the roof over her head
Many of the mentally ill population between here and there are homeless. They do not generally wind up in the top picks for employment
Don’t forget to go to the No Kings march tomorrow
Nice job Arcata. You summarily destroyed Guintoli West.
We dont shop there, eat there, anymore. My elderly folks who visit from out of state don’t stay at the Hampton Inn after being accosted for money walking to McDonald’s. (They’re 85 yrs old) .
Despicable for everyone, including the vulnerable folks ” housed” in all the motels.
Cambodia has alot of homeless, but it is accepted that you share a small amount of money. My moto driver was putting 90 cents in fuel in his Honda scooter, and was compassionate to share 10 cents with someone without a income. That always stuck with me. We are a wealthy country we should be able to share. I appreciate that eureka opened up the bathrooms in old Town for the homeless.
Yes the poorest people receive the brunt of the problems. Then while they are at work trying to scrapie by their kids are offered lots of drugs. The entitled libs in the better part of town cry crocodile tears and really say they care so much….but do they really?
I am a recovered addict coming up on 26 years clean and sober. To my years of sobriety I wound up homeless 4 years 8 months and change. It is almost impossible to get help in Humboldt county contingent to you must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have a mental health issue. Then and only then will you get housed. I live in low income housing and I am surrounded by dope fiends. Most of these people they went out and scraped up off the River bar from under a bush and said here’s the keys to a small place congratulations now go get high. I’ve thought about this long and hard and here’s what I’ve come up with, instead of taking the trash to landfills start to build an island somewhere in the middle of the ocean the middle of nowhere. You could name it loser Island. Specifically design for losers that don’t want to get well and do something with their life and bring something to society. I’ve got no empathy nor do I have any sympathy for somebody that doesn’t want to leave the vicious cycle of addiction. I say build a 40 ft wall with electrified razor wire on top, they can build their own little city, grow their own food. They can have their own little dope stores, dope gas stations, dope theaters, dope libraries etc etc. Let them do all the dope they want, they can steal from each other, they can kill each other if they want, or if they want to change their ways I can go to the front office and say I want help. At that point on the other side of the wall is a 2-year residential rehab accompanied by some kind of skill set schooling and then allow them to come back to society with 5 years of probation. And if they FUCK UP send them right back to loser Island and they can start all over again. All you people out there that want to pacify these people that act like scumbags need to pull your heads out of your ass. You can’t help somebody that doesn’t want to help themselves. These folks need to get some godliness in their lives or they will never get clean and sober and live a decent productive life. They cannot do it on their own power they MUST have God’s help.
Right on! Ok maybe not the God part but yeah some higher power or finding that power within yourself. Sounds like it was God for you and that is great. Congratulations! We all need something to believe in to pull us through. I agree with your observation of the losers. I’ll just add that mental illness is not something anybody chooses. And when we allow the free flow of drugs we are throwing people under the bus. Then we blame them. It’s not right. We can do better. Presently we are letting the losers wear down, burden and destroy the lives of people who cannot afford to get away from them….
Smoke crank and listen to SLAYER
Maybe if we don’t have politicians who take the homeless money and give the money to non audited ngo’s who give kickbacks to the politicians, then the billions already provided to California would have fixed the homeless crisis, but instead we have No Kings day protests fighting against cleaning up our streets of illegal alien drug dealers and homeless encampments in the name of fuzzy feel good “compassion”, we see how compassionate it really is with women and children being sexually assaulted in these bum camps, children being pimped out inside bum tents and the homeless drug addicted being contagious as it infects more and more young people. People in Humboldt need to see what is really happening on the streets in the Bay Area, many of the same people moving up to be homeless on the streets of Humboldt, same drugs flowing into the bay area from illegal alien cartels is what’s infecting our local addicts. It’s contagious, we need swift action to make arrests and stop the disease spreading, Fentanyl is claiming more local lives than COVID ever did, Homicide rates are only falling in California because California doesn’t count overdoses as homicide, even though that’s exactly what it is: drug induced homicide. These addicts and dealers purposefully give bad dope to addicts they don’t like. I’ll talk nt compassion to let these people destroy our natural spaces and our local streams and rivers by hauling trash into the river beds all summer long only to be carried away in the river and ocean during storms! Arrest them all an out thm in shelters , mental facilities or prison
You make a good case for Trump’s policies. I don’t like him or his policies but unfortunately the airheaded “compassionate” libs have pushed us into this position. How nice it could have been for the Billions of taxpayer dollars to actually go towards helping the homeless crisis! But that did not happen. And still no accountability or investigation into where that money did get squandered. Shame! Shame on the libs!!
There is a lot of $$$ to be made providing services and administration to the homeless crisis. If it were to be solved or diminished, the $$$ go away. There is no incentive to do that. The Communists made it into a liberal art form. The Leaders and Commissars in Communist lands do not live like those beneath them.
I propose that Arcata opens a homeless camp on Diamond Drive by buying one of the McMansions near the top of the hill. Let’s see how compassionate the Progressives really are. Believe me, they would be removed within 12 hours, Max. So yea, the Arkata Internews CIA progressives are not anybody’s friend except their own tight circle of fellow oligarchs. Yelling dictats to the plebes who follow them around like starving dogs who will never get a bone but have HOPE that they will. HOPE is a killer…….Action is where progress occurs.
Housing first.
It shows the guy mentioned in the ad on lost coast booked for PC 187a (murder), so unless they think he killed someone else….