Mendocino County Sheriff investigates killing of 77-year-old woman; suspect arrested

While responding to calls from neighbors in a remote area north of Willits on Saturday, police officers discovered a murder victim.

A press release on Sunday said one person had been arrested in connection with the murder.

Shortly after 11 a.m., residents of Blue Lake Road began calling the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office to report screaming and fighting at a home in the 52,000 block.

When officers arrived at the home, they found a woman with injuries that appeared to be the result of a violent attack.

Officers also discovered blood in and around the front of the home and the front windows were broken. There were no other people or victims inside the home, officials said.

Officers performed CPR on the woman and called an ambulance, but the 77-year-old woman died at the scene, officials said.

While officers were on site, a car drove to the house.

While searching the vehicle, officers found evidence that a car passenger, Michael Coleman, was involved in the violent attack, according to the sheriff’s office.

He was arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held without bail in the Mendocino County Jail.

Several authorities are currently actively investigating this crime.

Investigators from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office, the Ukiah and Willits police departments, the California Highway Patrol, CalFire Prevention Law Enforcement personnel, the California Department of Justice Crime Lab in Santa Rosa and Department of Justice criminalists are involved in the investigation.

Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 707-463-4086.

Information may also be provided anonymously by calling the non-emergency hotline at 707-234-2100.

Reach breaking news intern Amy Moore at 707-526-8545 or [email protected].