Victims of Redding double murder, 76 & 73, ID’d – Suspect remains held without bail

January 10, 2022 Trevor Montgomery

REDDING, Calif., — Officials today identified an elderly couple who were found murdered in their home in the 18000 block of Old Oasis Road in an unincorporated area north of Redding on Friday, Dec. 31.

The double homicide and subsequent investigation led to the swift arrest of 28-year-old, Colton Wayne Rhone, of Redding, who now stands accused of the murders. He remains in custody, where he is being held without bail.

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As reported by SCNS at the time, Shasta County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Old Oasis Road residence just before 5 a.m., after receiving the report of two adults found dead inside the home.

“The two deceased were discovered by family members who arrived home from being out of state,” Shasta County Sheriffs – Major Crimes Unit Detective Sergeant Chris Edwards explained as the sheriff’s investigation was getting underway.

When deputies arrived at the home, they discovered the bodies of an elderly man and woman who had sustained “injuries consistent with homicide,” Edwards said at the time; adding that the alleged suspect was eventually found inside a travel trailer parked on the victims’ property.

Although Rhone initially refused deputies’ commands to exit the home and was non-compliant with officials, he eventually exited the trailer and was taken into custody without incident.

He later reportedly admitted to Major Crimes Unit investigators that he had committed the homicides and he was booked into jail on two counts of first-degree murder.

Officials have not said how or if Rhone was related to the murdered victims, how the elderly couple was killed, or what may have led to the deadly incident.

SEE RELATED: Double murder north of Redding leads to local man’s arrest

Today, the Shasta County Coroner’s Office identified 73-year-old Karen Kay Uranga, and 76-year-old Julian Uranga, both of Redding, as the murdered victims.

In a related release of information, Shasta County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Coroner Lieutenant Stonehouse said post-mortem examinations have been completed and that the sheriff’s investigation is continuing.

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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.