May 17, 2021 Supervisors Glenn McGourty and Maureen Mulheren held a community meeting with residents of Potter Valley on Saturday morning, to talk about
May 6, 2021
Christopher McDonald (photo courtesy of Lake County Sheriff s Facebook Page)
Lake County Sheriff’s deputies say that a man is in custody in connection with a murder. Officials said yesterday that 44 year old Christopher McDonald of Potter Valley was arrested on suspicion of murdering John Dickerson. Dickerson’s remains were found in the Mendocino National Forest back in August. Later that month, officials served a search warrant at McDonald’s home and tested evidence that linked him to Dickerson’s death. McDonald was arrested on Tuesday.
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April 30, 2021
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A Covelo man is getting nine years in prison for attempting to start a fire at his ex-fiancee’s house in Potter Valley while she and her parents were inside the home. 31-yearold Derek Steven McCormack was sentenced Tuesday in Mendocino County Superior Court. This came after he was convicted of committing arson on an inhabited residence. In August of 2019, McCormack had set six fires near the garage door of the home while his ex and her parents were inside. The fire extinguished itself but left charring on the door. McCormack’s ex-fiancee had broken up with him three days before which is why he set the fires.
Press release from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office:
Derek Steven McCormack, 31, of Covelo, was sentenced Tuesday to state prison for an arson on the home of a Potter Valley family in August 2019.
McCormack in August of last year was convicted by plea in Mendocino County Superior Court of having committed arson of an inhabited residence, a felony. The defendant also admitted as true a sentencing enhancement that the arson was perpetrated during a declared fire state of emergency.
Judge Keith Faulder denied McCormack’s bid for a sentenced of supervised probation after having reviewed the Probation Department’s background study and sentencing recommendation which recommended a state prison commitment be imposed. The court also received a state prison recommendation following a diagnostic review by the staff at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The focus was on whether the defendant posed an unreasonable threat and danger to the communi