SCSO releases details of ST business owner arrested for murdering woman he had been dating

Shasta County Sheriff’s officials announced this morning the arrest of a Shingletown business owner late last week who they allege was responsible for the murder of a woman whose “badly burned” body was found in the area of Battle Creek Reservoir, west of Old Station and north of Viola, in the Lassen National Forest.

Due to the condition of the victim’s body, the woman remains unidentified at this time. However, based on their investigation, “including facts, evidence, and statements,” they uncovered and obtained during their investigation, detectives “believe they know the decedent’s identity,” SCSO officials said this morning.

According to detectives, the man they arrested last Saturday night had been involved in a dating relationship with the victim “over the past several weeks,” and investigators “have been in contact with family members of the believed decedent,” officials explained this morning.

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SCSO’s investigation began Thursday, Aug. 16, when they were notified regarding “a possible homicide associated to a wildland fire.”

Investigating deputies learned a burnt body of an “apparent adult female” had been discovered “in a rock crevice in the same area as the wildland fire.”

Based on the circumstances, detectives with Shasta County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit were summoned to the scene and assumed the investigation.

During their subsequent investigation, arson investigators concluded the fire associated with the victim was not the cause of a nearby wildland fire.

As their investigation was continuing, detectives quickly developed leads and gathered information that ultimately led them to identify 48-year-old, Shingletown resident, Frank Alexander Berry, as being involved with the woman’s murder. Based on their evidence, detectives began searching for Berry; eventually locating him Saturday evening, Aug. 18.

According to officials, when investigators located and arrested Berry, he was found wearing a hat, glasses, and fake mustache, “and had colored his eyebrows with a felt marker” in an apparent attempt to disguise his identity.

Officials believe Berry’s poorly attempted disguise was because “he had been made aware that detectives were looking for him throughout the day on Saturday,” SCSO officials explained. “Berry was also armed when detectives arrested him,” according to officials.

In a breaking story first published early yesterday evening, Intermountain area-based Shasta County News Source/SCNS revealed that the alleged suspect and owner of a Shingletown barber shop had been arrested Saturday evening, Aug. 18, and booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding, Sunday, Aug. 19. Jail records indicated Berry was booked on suspicion of committing first degree murder.

Berry remains in custody, held in lieu of $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned in Shasta County Superior Court in Redding this afternoon, at 1:30 p.m.

SEE RELATED: BREAKING: SCSO releasing no details regarding reported Shingletown murder & arrest

Although the lack of immediately available information and details about the arrest and sheriff’s ongoing investigation caused some area residents concern and frustration, SCNS noted yesterday that law enforcement agencies routinely hold back various details and aspects of their active and ongoing investigations to protect the integrity of their criminal cases.

While that can be frustrating for citizens in today’s age of instant, Internet-based information, this is a common practice – especially in high-profile, high-level, felony crimes; such as cases involving murder or other major felonies.

SCSO’s investigation is active and ongoing and Major Crimes Unit detectives have urged anyone with information about this homicide to contact the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (530) 245-6135 or by email. Callers can refer to incident file number 18-29428 and can remain anonymous.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of 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 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.