Humboldt County News - Detectives Arrest Two In Home Invasion Case

Posted on May 14, 2008 - 7:15

In a rare change of pace for local law enforcement, two men were arrested Monday morning in connection with that terrifying home invasion robbery incident on Little Fairfield in which a weed growing couple from Virgina were bound and beaten before having their grow operation burglarized.

Of course, this investigative success had almost nothing to do with the Eureka Police Department, which is currently so screwed up that one of its own officers is anonymously authoring an exposé style blog bringing light to the department's internal management issues. From what we can tell, EPD does not frequently make follow-up arrests in many of their (possibly) thousands of open cases within the city.

Indeed, it was Humboldt County Sheriff's Detectives that pulled off enough sleuthing to lead them to the apartment of Melvin Matthews on the 100 block of Del Norte St. Matthews is a 25 year old parolee who apparently burglarizes and terrorizes local residents for a living.

Further investigation led the team, which consisted of US Marshals, State Parole Agents, and local Sheriff's Deputies, to Ray "Rafey" James of Willow Creek. They didn't have to look far to find James, because he was already booked by the Eureka Police Department two days earlier for auto theft. Wait, does that mean we have to take back what we said a minute ago about the EPD's inability to make follow up arrests?

In any case, major props to local law enforcement for pulling these violent criminals off the streets and making it just a wee bit safer for honest Humboldt citizens!

Tom Green Was in Humboldt and Nobody Cared >>

WRONG

By anonymous, on May 14, 2008 - 18:46

The couple were natives of Humboldt County...born and raised!

RIGHT

By anonymous, on May 14, 2008 - 18:48

Without the help of the HCSO and their detectives this follow-up arrest would never have been made - you have that right...but, Little Fairfield is not in Eureka City limits, so sherriff would have delt with it anyway...

indeed

By Riker, on May 15, 2008 - 8:22

anonymous is correct, the original crime did take place outside of eureka city limits, but how do you know the couple are Humboldt natives?

By anonymous, on May 15, 2008 - 11:31

i am the female victim.

By anon, on May 15, 2008 - 12:15

ok, it's Thursday. They should have been charged by now. What are they charged with.

By anonymous, on May 15, 2008 - 13:22

it was their arraignment, no trial yet.

By anonymous, on May 15, 2008 - 13:24

robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, kidnapping, making threats with the intent to terrorize, burglary, and conspiracy...as well as a few other things that will come up in trial.

Dear Female Victim

By Riker, on May 15, 2008 - 16:55

Wow, so you were one of the victims? Do you have any idea how you wound up being targeting by these violent robbers? was it someone you know or was it just totally random? how did they know you had pot at your house, and are they also locals? i wonder how many people come in from socal to rob harmless growers like you?

By anonymous, on May 15, 2008 - 17:49

they are locals.
i am not sure why we were targeted because i did not know them.
they didnt really want marijuana, they wanted cash...and since we did not have any they decided to take our medicinal crop, as well as some of our electronics.
they were extremely violent & i am very happy to be alive.

By Riker, on May 15, 2008 - 22:19

we are all very happy you are alive and well. growing a medicinal crop is legal here, and you should have the support of your community in doing so, as long as you are doing it in a legitimate way.

how many other respectable citizens are out there getting robbed, beaten, and terrorized because they grow a harmless medicinal herb? growers support our economy and we should support them and protect them.

being real

By simply divine, on May 17, 2008 - 0:25

Marijuana support this county also other nearby counties. The economy would crash if the feds started busting people here. Let American grow pot for americans or else it will come from canada or mexico. All business's up here depend on the growers money. And we need to all face the fact. Listen to the main radio staions there is some commercial about growing hydroponics or some soil commercial every five minutes. "it's l;ike some joke" please be reall everyone thanks

By anon, on May 19, 2008 - 16:22

The papers have no coverage suggesting that james or matthews has been charged by the DA

By anon, on May 19, 2008 - 16:24

both men are parolees. watch for the DA to drop all new charges for parole violations. The home invasion will be a freebie for these thugs.

what are YOU talking about

By anonymous, on May 20, 2008 - 11:54

drop parole violations??? when they picked up matthews he had an unregistered gun on him, as well as HARD evidence of the robbery from inside the home he was staying in. and what about james already being in jail for auto theft! plus, they have WITNESSES (no. not the victims)...and who knows what their priors are...this will not be dropped.

better not be dropped

By kris, on May 20, 2008 - 13:05

i am so sick of criminals getting away with just about every crime you can think of in eureka. wtf is wrong with this place they can't even follow up on any investigations and nobody EVER gets caught. here they are busy busting freakin POT GROWS when innocent people are being robbed and burglarized every single day in this horrible town.

i wish people would stop fighting against the police here and start supporting them and helping them do their jobs, not suing them and raising a big fucking stink every time a violent criminal gets shot or a hobo gets locked up.

By anon, on May 20, 2008 - 15:49

The DA has a long history of not penalizing new charges for defendants who admit parole violations and go back to prison for a year or,usually, less. They "plead guilty" so he gets his "convictions" but they are promised no "new time" for the
new crimes. DA gets to claim lots of wins for no risk, criminals get off with no real punishment, everyone wins.
Except the public.

Has anyone seen a blurb in the papers saying whether James or Matthews have been arraigned on anything but parole violations?

By anonymous, on May 26, 2008 - 14:06

robbery in the first degree, burglary, and possession of narcotics with the intent to sell. beleive you me, much more will be pushed but it is just a waiting game to see what happens next. but yes, there definitely are more chrages than just parole violations.

conviction FTW!

By ftw, on May 26, 2008 - 21:49

damn straight!@ lock those violent criminals up!!

WTF?!

By D. Jarrett, on Jun 12, 2008 - 13:40

I'm the male vitim. I'm not from Virginia, I'm from Humboldt County. Get your facts straight before saying shit you're not sure is factual. My girlfriend is born and raised here, and her entire family has lived in Humboldt county for ages. Also there are 5 people, not 2 that are being charged with this robbery. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT! I'm from here and always have been and I will be here forever.

By anon, on Jun 16, 2008 - 15:04

so Jarrette, what felonies did you commit back in virginia that got you arrested here during this incident?

By D. Jarrett, on Jun 23, 2008 - 16:42

Conspiracy to sell Marijuana, Money laundering, and Grand Larceny. I wasn't in virginia EVER! I'm from Humboldt County. Some buster that came out here a few times got busted in Virginia and became a rat and an informant (CI), and said he got everything from me.. BULLSHIT! rat bastard.

By anon, on Jun 23, 2008 - 18:00

damn! So do you have to go to court on those charges? Is there even any evidence against you? Sounds pretty lame. You guys were growing 215 style here, right? anyways, sorry for your troubles. Being involved in that kind of mixup is very unfortunate.