Death Penalty Off the Table in Dylan Moon Murder Case
Hon. Judge Steven Steward, seen here during his election campaign, is presiding over the case. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]
The announcement, made during a hearing in Courtroom Three before Judge Steven M. Steward, resolves a key procedural question that had stalled the case at the previous proceeding. At that hearing, Rees had delayed confirming the prosecution’s intentions while honoring Marsy’s Law obligations to notify the victim’s family before making the decision public.
Dylan Moon, 17, died March 13 from a gunshot wound to the head sustained in a March 10 shooting on Little Moon Lane near Highway 96 in Hoopa.
Five people are charged in connection with the killing: Tse-Lin Lincoln, 19, and William Warren, 18, face murder charges as adults, while three juveniles face varying charges in connection with the same homicide, including at minimum gang-related allegations and, in at least one case, charges tied to the shooting itself. While the death penalty had been a potential option for the two adult defendants, prosecutors confirmed Wednesday they will not pursue it.
![Court minutes in the case note that the “[P]eople will not be seeking the death penalty” confirmed on March 25.](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/unnamed-court-doc-241x300.jpg)
Court minutes in the case note that the “[P]eople will not be seeking the death penalty” confirmed on March 25.
Anakalia Sullivan confirmed her ability and availability to represent Tse-Lin Lincoln, as did Attorney Rebecca Linkous, who is representing William Randolph “Billy” Warren.
Both defendants remain held without bail. A preliminary examination is scheduled for April 28, 2026 at 10:15 a.m. before Judge Steward. Lincoln and Warren each face a felony murder charge with multiple gang enhancements and both entered not guilty pleas on March 20.
Earlier:
- [Update 9:23 p.m.] Breaking News: Shooting Near Hoopa Leaves One Critically Injured Tuesday Evening
- Hoopa Shooting Victim Flown Out for Treatment as District Schools Close
- Shooting Suspects Remain at Large, Limited Details Released by HCSO
- Hoopa Tribe Offers $10,000 Reward as Community Mobilizes Support Following Shooting
- Hoopa Valley Police Believe Suspects No Longer in the Area
- Warrants Issued for Three Teenage Suspects in Hoopa Shooting, Victim Remains in Critical Condition
- Hoopa Shooting Suspects Identified and One Arrested
- Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District to Reopen Tomorrow
- Second Hoopa Shooting Suspect Arrested; Third Remains at Large
- Third Suspect in Hoopa Shooting Turns Himself in to Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
- Death of Hoopa Shooting Victim Friday Night Leads Investigators to Seek Murder Charges Against Three Suspects
- [UPDATE 5:32 p.m.: Firearms Located, Says HCSO] Search Warrant Executed at Lincoln Family Property as Dylan Moon Murder Investigation Continues
- Warrant Served in Hoopa this Morning, Residents Report Heavy Law Enforcement Presence
- Gang Charges Filed Against Children as Young as 13 in Hoopa Murder Case
- Two Teens to Be Arraigned in Hoopa Murder Case
- Death Penalty Still on the Table in Hoopa Teen Murder Case; Pleas Delayed Until Afternoon
- Lincoln and Warren Plead ‘Not Guilty’ as DA Refuses to Rule Out Death Penalty in Dylan Moon Murder Case
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Weird they even call it a “death penalty” when that penalty is never actually carried out…I guess we are expecting it to return?
And a ‘Life Sentence’ now means 20 years.
Life Sentence ‘without parole’ option is the worst of ’em.
I figure the Newsomites will do away with that one pretty quick.
Do you believe that “without parole” does not mean what it says?
Twenty years from now we could have an administration that would be just fine with clearing out death row.
“Condemned Row” has been dismantled more or less and they have been placing those inmates with the general population. Executions are probably a thing of the past in CA
Usual left-wing shenanigans. Gang shooting and no death penalty. Why not allow the little angels to work it off? They can train as fry cooks at In’n’Out burger. Coddling criminals is what liberals do best. See: four year border invasion.
Broaden your horizons not everything is black and white, or in this case left and right.
And yet six of the seven states with the highest per capita homicide rate have the death penalty, while five of the seven states with the lowest per capita homicide rate do not.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/murder-rate-by-state
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state
Right…sure…
Somehow you think you know…But, I strongly suspect you don’t.
Outdated Ideology, Mob Revenge Fantasies, boucoup $, & additiinal torturing of the family/survivors of the victims
VS
Facts, Economics, and a chance to study homicidal psyches
Call me kooky but I form my opinions based verifiable facts as much as I am able.
And then there’s experience:
Anyone have an actual direct personal/familial experience with a death penalty case and mass murder?
I do.
There is no pride in that.
Is painful enough to revisit, more so to share & discuss.
The idea of the State killing the lead killer/rapist allowed most of my family to “believe” for a very long time before it finally happened (1973-2003) that killing him would make us all feel better about the final outcome and move past the uncertainty, anguish, and horror.
It fucking sure didn’t.
Those of my family that witnessed his execution were deeply altered and struggled to find peace for the rest of their days.
Our 6 people are still dead.
The pits of rage, pain, anguish, fear…etc are NOT filled in or reduced by his death.
None of us felt any better. Still don’t.
There was no celebration; no smiles; no triumph; nothing but more emptiness, pain, confusion.
An insidious, evil fuck was wiped from the face of the Earth BUT not one of the family members was even slightly repaired. Some thought they were for a while. They all relented or spiraled into the rage.
We sure didn’t coddle the killers either, Kevin, mfer.
This isn’t a game.
No one here is scoring any points.
This shit haunts my family today after nearly 53 years.
I watched my own children, separated by >35yrs from the event, cry over the mass family grave as they began to grasp the family anguish & scars they’ve grown up with & through.
Anyone that believes this shit is simple and/or cut and dry is fooling themself, and very likely others, profoundly.
The death penalty sure isn’t meant to make you or I feel better Kevin, especially since it can’t soothe the family of the victim(s) and expands the pain on the community.
Is mostly political theatre.
Kevin, your theatre is not helping, so change the tone or shove the political gamesmanship where the sun don’t shine.
This is serious shit.
Hurt doesn’t repair hurt.
Only makes it worse; deeper & wider. Breaks some.
You’ve been warned.
A Native American resident of Hoopa recently told me, “these kids don’t know shit”, which makes me believe the judge handed down the right sentence.
No trial yet so no sentence yet. They just took the meaningless “death sentence” off the table. I have no opinion here because I don’t know this story very well. I do support the death penalty but only for the most heinous crimes …
Murder is most heinous.
Lots of people would say that killing someone who does not pose a threat is murder.
I like long sentences for any violent crime, including burglary. I’m happy the death penalty is off the table because death by the state (any state) is a bad idea, for many reasons. They get it wrong way too often to be killing people. I’m glad CA joined the civilized world by not carrying out death penalty.
Sorry for the family. This decision is not justice. There’s no death chamber in CA. Thanks Newsom! He went against CA voters overwhelming support for the death chamber and shut it down. The taxpayers pay for their “death row” support for many years until they die. Instead these murderers take away everything this young man had and everything he would ever have or ever be.
I would speculate that the family of the victim may well be more charitable than you are.
Thank goodness. Considering the age of these young men they might be redeemable. I hope so.
Do the crime do the time! Look at Marcy kitchen. There’s no justice in our ” justice system!” If someone gets handed down a sentence, they should serve that sentence. No getting out early for good behavior! Good behavior had NOTHING to do with why theyre in there. This young man had a life to live. His parents had the right to watch their son grow and live that life. We lost a child and getting half ass justice would probably drive us crazy. My condolences to his family and friends.
I’m the mother of Dylan Moon, and I believe all 5 of those boys should get delt the same fate they gave my son my boy was good he loved shooting woodpeckers, fishing and playing basketball, he was planning on going to college with his girlfriend but they took that all away, Dylan was my only child, so I will never get to have grandbaby’s I won’t get to watch him grow old, so I think they should’ve got the death penalty and I’m sorry if I sound heartless but the day they decided to shoot at the car my son was in and killed him is the day my heart died along with him, and I cry everyday for my son he didn’t deserve this, #JUSTICE-4-DYLAN-MOON#LIVE4DIZZ#MMIP#ENDGUNVIOLENCE