Press Release:

Wildlife and animal rights groups today increased to $20,000 a reward for information about the fatal poisoning of a Northern California dog owned by a leading ecologist studying how the same controversial poison affects endangered species. The dog, named Nyxo, died Feb. 3. He belonged to Dr. Mourad Gabriel, who has been investigating how the highly toxic rat poison brodifacoum threatens wildlife, including Pacific fishers and northern spotted owls. A necropsy revealed that the dog had ingested red meat along with brodifacoum.

“Nyxo was a handsome, inquisitive rescue dog who was at my side on many research trips,” said Gabriel. “His death was so unnecessary.”

Dr. Gabriel discovered Nyxo was having seizures and had vomited red meat, which the family had not fed to the dog. The dog was immediately taken to a local veterinarian, who was unable to save the animal’s life. Dr. Gabriel drove Nyxo’s body to a laboratory at the University of California at Davis, where a necropsy determined Nyxo had died of brodifacoum poisoning after being fed meat and the poison.

“Although the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate death remain unclear, we demand justice for this malicious poisoning and condemn the use of violence to silence any scientist, researcher or citizen whose work aims to conserve wildlife,” said Jonathan Evans, toxics and endangered species campaign director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “What is very clear is that the reckless use and sale of these poisons must be banned to end the indiscriminate killing of pets and wildlife.”

The Center for Biological Diversity and Animal Legal Defense Fund increased an initial award of $2,500 that was issued last month. More than 53,000 people have signed a petition demanding justice for Nyxo’s poisoning.

“Poor Nyxo was a beautiful rescue dog and did not deserve to suffer and die,” said Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “We hope this substantial reward offer will help Humboldt law enforcement track down the dangerous individual at large who could do such a thing to a helpless family pet.”

Anyone with information about Nyxo’s poisoning is encouraged to email info@aldf.org or contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539. Click here for more information.

Individuals wishing to contribute to the reward fund can visit JusticeForNyxo.org

Background 
Anticoagulant rodenticides interfere with blood clotting, resulting in uncontrollable bleeding that leads to death. Second-generation anticoagulants — including brodifacoum — are especially hazardous and persist for a long time in body tissues.   

The state of California and the Environmental Protection Agency have taken steps to ban hazardous d-CON products containing brodifacoum because of the documented poisonings of children, pets and wildlife. Brodifacoum in d-CON products is still being sold because the manufacturer of d-CON, Reckitt Benckiser, is currently challenging the EPA cancellation order. Conservation groups have called on stores such as Wal-Mart and Lowes to stop selling d-CON products that the EPA has declared unsafe.

A coalition of nonprofit organizations, municipalities, businesses and scientists formed the Safe Rodent Control Coalition to promote effective, affordable rodent-control strategies that protect children, pets and wildlife. For more on the Center’s work to combat anticoagulant poisoning click here.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 675,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1979 with the unique mission of protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system. For more information, please visit aldf.org.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Owner of Dog Poisoned in Blue Lake Speaks Out
• Dog Poisoned in Blue Lake
• $2,500 Reward Offered For Info About Scientist’s Poisoned Dog

Left to right: Chunn, Seitz

From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 3/7/14, at approximately 7:45 a.m., Humboldt County Drug Task Force (H.C.D.T.F.) Agents, assisted by the Arcata Police Department, served a Humboldt County Superior Court search warrant in the 1200 block of Devlin Court, Arcata.

When agents arrived at the residence they saw one of the occupants jump out a side window. The suspect was immediately caught. He was identified as William Jacob Seitz, 23 years old from San Diego.

When the agents entered the residence they detained four other people, two males and two females. Agents searched the residence and located a Hash Lab, along with an indoor marijuana grow. The agents located and seized 75 growing marijuana plants ranging from 1” to 4’ tall, two pounds of Hash, approximately ten pounds of marijuana leaves, three Hash manufacturing pipes, three empty cases of butane and a .45 caliber semi auto handgun with a loaded magazine. The handgun was located in the marijuana grow room.

Agents spoke Kacey Ray Chunn, 33 years old, who was identified as the person who lived in the home. Agents interviewed the three other detained people and learned they were visiting. The three were identified as an 18 year old female, from Twenty Nine Palms, California, a 21 year old female from Arlington, Texas, and a 22 year old male from Los Angeles. After being interviewed they were released.

Chunn was arrested for cultivation and possession for sale of marijuana, manufacturing a controlled substance, armed in the commission of a felony and maintaining a drug house. Seitz was arrested for violation of probation and resisting arrest. They were both transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. Chunn’s bail was set at $525,000.00. Seitz was booked and released on his own recognizance.

Anyone with information for the Humboldt County Drug Task Force can call 707-444-8095. If you live in the City Limits of Eureka the Eureka Police Problem Oriented Policing Unit can be reached at 707-441-4373.

(Above: Stark, Licano.)

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release:

On 3/6/14, at approximately 12:00 p.m., Humboldt County Drug Task Force (H.C.D.T.F.). Agents, assisted by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, served a search warrant at an apartment on Lawndale Court in Fortuna. Agents had obtained a search warrant for the apartment and two vehicles belonging to the two listed suspects on the warrant. Prior to service of the warrant, H.C.D.T.F. Agents saw one of the listed suspects, who was later identified as Laurenco Carbajal Licano, 24 years old from Hildago, Mexico, leave the apartment and drive a short distance to a local shopping center. Agents watched the suspect vehicle drive into the parking lot of the shopping center and meet another male subject, later identified as James Edward Stark, 56 years old from Fortuna. The two met briefly and spoke. Agents then watched Stark walk away on foot from Licano. A deputy driving a marked Sheriff’s Patrol car initiated traffic stop on the Licano as it left the shopping center. Licano was detained while Agents conducted a search of his vehicle. The search revealed several ounces of methamphetamine and heroin packaged for sales. These items were found in hidden compartments in the vehicle. Stark was also contacted by Agents as he walked away and through the shopping center. Stark was interviewed and searched. Agents located approximately ¼ gram of Heroin in Stark’s pocket. He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Licano was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession for sale of a controlled substance, transportation of a controlled substance, possession of illicit drugs, possession for sale of illicit drugs, transportation of illicit drugs, driving unlicensed and having a false compartment to transport drugs. Licano and Stark were transported to the Humboldt County Correctional facility where they were booked. Stark told Agents that he swallowed six grams of Heroin just prior to their contacting him. Stark is being observed by medical personnel in the Correctional Facility. Stark’s bail was set at $25,000.00. Licona’s bail was set at $50,000.00.

The second male subject listed on the warrant was not located during the search and further investigation will be conducted to locate that suspect.

The search of the Lawndale apartment was then conducted and DTF Agents discovered large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin packaged for sales. They found scales, packaging material and two pounds of marijuana bud, along with $18,200.00 in cash. In total, over one pound, two ounces of Crystal Methamphetamine was seized and over a 1/2 pound of Heroin was seized during the service of this warrant.

The estimated whole value of the methamphetamine seized is $21,400.00 dollars. The estimated wholesale value of the Heroin sized is approximately $10,000.00

The 2010 Chevy Camero that Licano was driving was seized by Agents for Asset Forfeiture proceedings.

Anyone with information for the Humboldt County Drug Task Force can call 707-444-8095. If you live in the City Limits of Eureka the Eureka Police Problem Oriented Policing Unit can be reached at 707-441-4373

Here’s the latest post in our “Be On the Lookout” series, where we highlight stolen items and ask you, our readers, to help your neighbors by passing on any helpful information to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

Yesterday, this 1970 Honda Trail 90 was stolen in Arcata. The victim is offering a reward of $100 for its safe return.

The Arcata Police has confirmed the vehicle as being stolen. Please contact them at 822-2428 or 822-2424 if you have any information about its whereabouts.

From the Eureka Police Department:

On the late afternoon of 03/05/14, detectives from the Eureka Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit (POP) served a Search Warrant in the 100 block of 2nd Street. The Search Warrant was authored in response to numerous complaints of in and out foot traffic at this location.

As a result of the warrant service, detectives located a large amount of narcotic prescription medication and stolen property from several different local residents. The prescription medication is believed to be possessed for the purpose of illegal street sales, and the stolen items were determined to be stolen property from several different local theft cases.

Patrick Dale Berg (64) was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales. The addition charge of Possession of Stolen Property will be added at the completion of this investigation.

Anyone with information concerning suspected drug activity, or other nuisances occurring in the City of Eureka is encouraged to call the Problem Oriented Policing Unit at (707) 441-4373.