Suspicious Redding death ruled homicide – Murdered victim’s cousin arrested
REDDING, Calif., — Shasta County Sheriff’s Office today announced that what began as a missing persons case in Redding that quickly turned into a suspicious death investigation last month, has since transitioned into a murder investigation and led to the arrest of the victim’s cousin. The suspicious death investigation was kicked off after the missing man’s lifeless body was discovered in the area of Keswick Lake, near the Chappie/Shasta Off-Highway recreational area, according to officials.
Sheriff’s deputies began investigating the disappearance of 35-year-old, Christopher Allen Catterson, of Redding, after he failed to return home from an Oct. 16th fishing trip with his cousin, 35-year-old, Clayton Allen Stearns of, Klamath Falls, Oregon. After learning that the pair had planned to go fishing in the Keswick Reservoir area, deputies searched that area, eventually locating the man’s black 2010 GMC Sierra, along with the missing man’s body.
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At the time, sheriff’s officials reported that when deputies located Catterson’s body, his death was quickly ruled suspicious; however, they did not specify what led them to that conclusion. Based on circumstances and evidence found at the scene, detectives with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit responded to the location and took over the investigation.
Over the last several weeks, sheriff’s officials have conducted extensive follow-up including interviews with multiple family members and others, and learned that the victim and his cousin had gone fishing together the weekend of Catterson’s murder; Shasta County Sheriff’s Detective Sergeant Chris Edwards reported today.
35-year-old, Clayton Allen Stearns of, Klamath Falls, Oregon, has been arrested for the murder of his 35-year-old cousin, Christopher Allen Catterson. Catterson was reported missing after he failed to return home after an Oct. 16th fishing trip with Stearns.
While searching for Stearn’s whereabouts, detectives learned he was back in Klamath Falls and responded to Oregon to continue their investigation.
Once there, they worked in conjunction with detectives from the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office to serve several search warrants according to the Sergeant; who said, “Detectives located physical evidence connecting Clayton Stearns to Christopher Catterson’s death.”
Based on their investigation and findings, detectives obtained an arrest warrant through the Shasta County Superior Court naming Stearns in Catterson’s homicide; and at around 9:45 a.m. yesterday, detectives arrested him on a sole-count of first-degree murder.
Stearns was subsequently booked into the Shasta County Jail in Redding, where he is being held without bail. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in the Shasta County Superior Court.
SEE RELATED: Missing person report leads to suspicious death investigation after body found near Keswick Reservoir
Officials have not said what may have led to Catterson’s murder or provided any known motive for what may caused the fatal encounter.
Detectives are asking for anybody who may have seen a 2010 black colored GMC Sierra Pickup or a gray colored 2010 Toyota Tacoma in the area of the Chappie/Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area on Saturday, October 16th to contact the Major Crimes Unit at (530) 245-6135 or by email.
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Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
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.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.