REDDING: Victim describes terrifying ordeal leading to her attempted murder

REDDING — The victim of an attempted murder at the hands of her ex-boyfriend and a female accomplice later described an escalation of violence that culminated in her fleeing for her life as the alleged suspects chased her while shooting at her with a handgun.

Portions of the victim’s terrifying ordeal last Monday night were captured on a 911 call the frantic victim made while desperately trying to elude her attackers in the area of Churn Creek Road and Hartnell Avenue, in Redding.

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During that recorded July 9 phone call shortly after 11:30 p.m., the alleged suspect – who has since been identified as 30-year-old, Redding resident, Ray Earl Beauchamp – fired a half-dozen rounds at the victim’s vehicle while chasing her as she fled on Hilltop Dr. near the Red Lion Hotel.

Officials later found several bullet holes in the victim’s car and recovered numerous shell casings where the victim reported the shooting had occurred. Officials have not released the victim’s name to protect her identity.

Redding PD officers raced to the area while the victim stayed on the line with SHASCOM dispatchers as she attempted to elude her pursuer, Redding Police Sergeant Todd Cogle explained after the incident and arrests.

After the shooting and before officers arrived, Beauchamp fled from the area in his vehicle, described as a gray 2018 Nissan Altima.

During their subsequent investigation, officers located six spent 9mm shell casings, according to Cogle, who said that officers searched for Beauchamp and Lake extensively throughout the night and into the next morning, but were unable to locate them.

The victim later described to investigating officers that she had recently ended a several month relationship with Beauchamp, which she described as “tumultuous.” The victim also described “unresolvable issues and instances of abuse” to officers.

Since breaking up, Beauchamp had become increasingly more “crazy,” according to Cogle, who said the man’s frustration boiled over earlier in the day resulting in several acts of violence leading up to Monday night’s shooting.

According to the victim, the problems began earlier in the day with a verbal confrontation at a friend’s residence in east Redding. Although Beauchamp left when the victim threatened to call the police, he returned a short time later and “attempted to break one of victim’s car windows by punching it,” said Cogle. “He then used a rock to (break) the window and slashed one of her tires.”

Ray Beauchamp and Chaygamem Lake were arrested after allegedly chasing a victim, breaking her vehicle window and slashing her car’s tire, and shooting at the terrified woman as she fled from them. Part of the violent incident was captured during a 911 call.

The victim said she left the east Redding location after changing her vehicle’s tire and began driving home. While she was traveling on Shasta View Dr., the victim saw Beauchamp and his accomplice, later identified as Chaygamem Lake, 38, of Shingletown, pass by her, going in the opposite direction.

Beauchamp and Lake “abruptly” turned around and with Lake driving, the pair began chasing the victim “at a high rate of speed,” Cogle explained.

The victim eventually pulled into the parking lot of Tower Mart, at 1670 Hartnell Avenue, and parked directly in front of the store, “hoping the obvious surveillance cameras would deter Beauchamp,” according to Cogle.

Despite the presence of cameras, “Beauchamp pulled into the parking lot, exited his vehicle and punched victim’s car window several times in attempt to break it,” said Cogle, who explained Beauchamp was unsuccessful and not able to break the window.

As the victim fled from the parking lot with Beauchamp and Lake right behind her, she called 911 and remained on the line with emergency dispatchers for the duration of the violent incident. The shooting happened just a few minutes later.

Based on the circumstances, Redding PD investigators assumed the investigation and learned that in spite of being aware of the ongoing police investigation, Beauchamp was continuing to threaten the victim with physical harm.

With the help of the Anderson Police Department, investigators learned where Beauchamp was staying in Redding and at 3:50 p.m., on Tuesday, July 10, Redding PD investigators, along with Neighborhood Police Officers and S.I.N.T.F. agents, arrested Beauchamp and Lake after spotting the pair on the 200 block of E. Cypress Ave. in Redding.

Both Beauchamp and Lake were taken into custody without incident.

“Beauchamp and Lake were interviewed by investigators prior to being booked into the Shasta County Jail on charges of assault with a firearm, and discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle,” according to Cogle, who explained that additional charges could be filed.

Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact Sergeant Todd Cogle of Redding Police Department at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 18-49102 and can remain anonymous.

 

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Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.