$50,000 reward in mysterious murder of man shot dead in ravine, California cops say
A sheriff in Northern California is asking for new clues — and offering a substantial reward — in hopes of solving a mysterious murder from last year.
Spencer Richard Hodgson, a 31-year-old who had ties to Santa Cruz, was found dead in a ravine near Klamath River in far Northern California on April 8, 2019, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on Friday.
Deputies described the spot the body was found as roughly 28 miles northwest of Yreka, not far from the Oregon border. His dog was found alive nearby and returned to his family. An aerial search led to Hodgson’s missing pick-up truck, according to the sheriff’s office.
An autopsy revealed gunshot wounds on his body and homicide was ruled the cause of death — but since the early stages of the investigation, leads have dried up, according to the sheriff’s office.
“There is a good chance someone in Siskiyou County knows something about Mr. Hodgson’s case,” Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon Lopey said in a statement Friday. “Any information about Spencer’s activities prior to the April 8, 2019 incident, even of a minor nature, and any other leads about this homicide could be pivotal in this case.”
A “secret witness” reward, combined with a donation, means $50,000 is now promised for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the murder case, the sheriff’s office said.
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“Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact a SCSO detective at (530) 842-8318 and refer to SCSO Case Number 1-19-0547,” Lopey said.
Deputies said that, though Hodgson had recently lived in the Klamath River area, he “had long-term ties in the Santa Cruz” region.
“The pick-up vehicle is considered a source of potential evidence for investigators and its recovery has led to additional leads,” deputies said in the news release. “Detectives have interviewed a number of associates of the victim and family members. Search warrants were obtained and some potential evidence was recovered and the case is still on-going but leads have dissipated.”
The sheriff’s office said the “reward has been offered to motivate anyone out there with information about the case to contact SCSO investigators.”
Deputies also said that it’s possible forensic evidence from the truck and the scene — which is being analyzed now — could “yield additional information critical in the case.”
