Sheriff William F. Honsal | Humboldt Sheriff’s Office website
Sheriff William F. Honsal | Humboldt Sheriff’s Office website
On January 8, at approximately 2 p.m., deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) responded to a report of a deceased individual found under the Trinity River Bridge at Highway 96 and Tish Tang Road. The HCSO deputies, along with officers from the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police, arrived at the scene and met with the person who reported the discovery.
The deceased was located in dense brush beneath the bridge. The body appeared to have been there for several days. Investigators from the Humboldt County Major Crimes Division and a deputy coroner were called to investigate further. The deceased was identified as Paul Dean James Jr., aged 42, from Weitchpec.
James had been known to frequent the Hoopa Valley area but had not been seen since December 30. A welfare check BOLO ("be on the lookout") was issued on January 7 after he had not been sighted for a week. Currently, his cause of death remains undetermined as investigations continue.
A forensic autopsy is scheduled by the Humboldt County Coroner's Office, with additional information expected post-autopsy.
Individuals possessing information about this case or related criminal activities are urged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office at (707) 445-7251 or use their Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.
Alerts Sign-up