Transients arrested after man’s body found under Redding bridge

REDDING — Two Redding area transients were arrested yesterday after reportedly confessing to the murder of another transient earlier this week. Authorities made the arrests after the victim’s lifeless body was discovered under a bridge in the 2700 block of Favretto Ave., between State and Fell Streets, in south Redding.

After an investigation officials arrested 22-year-old Lindsey Ann Waite, and 22-year-old Russell David Karfs Lewis early this morning. Both reportedly confessed to killing the victim and were later booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of first degree murder. Both remain in custody on $1 million bail.

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Redding police officers began investigating the man’s murder Thursday morning, Aug. 23, around 10:45 a.m., after receiving reports of a deceased subject under a small bridge over a drainage culvert in the city’s Park Division, Redding Police Sergeant Todd Cogle explained in a press release this morning.

When officers arrived they were directed to the victim’s body and confirmed the man was deceased. Officials did not specify the manner in which the victim was killed and have not released the man’s name pending identification and notification of his family.

As the investigation was getting underway members of the department’s Crime Scene Unit were summoned and officials were later seen searching for, documenting, photographing, and collecting evidence at the scene.

Based on the circumstances, detectives from the department’s Investigations Division assumed the investigation and officials located and interviewed potential witnesses to the murder.

As the investigation continued into the next day, officials conducted additional interviews at Redding PD that resulted in the recovery of additional information and evidence related to the homicide, according to Cogle.

“Two of the subjects who were interviewed ultimately confessed to participating in the murder of the deceased male … (and) all of those involved in this incident are acquaintances and are all transients in the Redding area,” Cogle explained.

Officials have not specified what may have led to the murder or if there is a known motive for the homicide.

Redding PD’s investigation is active and ongoing and officials have asked that anyone with information regarding this investigation contact Redding PD at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 18-60682 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.