The Kristine Constantino residence where the double murder occurred showed “evidence of a marijuana operation ” according to the Trinity County Sheriff’s Dept. which sent the following Press Release: (see earlier posts here and here)
On March 13, 2011 at approximately 4:45 pm the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center
received a phone call from Humboldt CHP Dispatch regarding a female subject who had called
911 asking for help. The 911 call was made from a cell phone so the call went to the Humboldt
CHP Dispatch Center.
Due to Kettenpom being such a remote town a responding Deputy contacted near-by residents
James and Norma Gund to obtain information regarding the female caller who had called the
Humboldt CHP Dispatch Center.
A short time later the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a 911 call from the
Kettenpom Store requesting medical for Norma Gund who had been stabbed. A second 911
call was received several minutes later from the Kettenpom Store by James Gund stating that
he had been stabbed and needed medical also.
Medical was dispatched and Deputies responding to the Kettenpom area received additional
information that there were possibly two additional victims at a residence in the Kettenpom area
near the airstrip.
In an interview conducted by Detectives with James Gund he stated that he and his wife Norma
Gund went to check the residence of victim Kristine Constantino. Norma Gund went up to the
residence first. James Gund heard some commotion coming from the Constantino residence
and went to the house to find suspect Tomas Gouverneur attacking Norma Gund. Gouverneur
attacked Mr. Gund as he entered the residence. Mrs. Gund fled the residence and got into her
personal vehicle and drove to the Kettenpom Store. Mr. Gund was able to take the knife from
Gouverneur and left the residence on foot. While Mr. Gund was enroute to his residence he
observed Gouverneur leave the Constantino residence in a teal green vehicle with Oregon
plates. Once Mr. Gund reached his residence he drove himself to the Kettenpom Store in his
personal vehicle.
Victims James and Norma Gund were transported to Garberville Hospital via ambulance. James
Gund was released from the Hospital on March 14, 2011. Norma Gund was transported to UC
Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California for surgery relating to stab injuries and is listed
in stable condition at this time.
Once Officers arrived at the residence, two victims Kristine Constantino and Christopher
Richardson were located in the residence and both were deceased. While Detectives, Deputies
and the California Department of Justice were processing the scene of the Constantino
residence they discovered evidence of a marijuana operation.
Information received from victim James Gund indicated that the suspect had fled the area and
was possibly driving a teal green vehicle with Oregon plates. This information was relayed to the
surrounding counties and CHP.
Some time later Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a vehicle that matched the
description of suspect Tomas Gouverneur’s vehicle. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop and
a vehicle pursuit was initiated. The pursuit was ended when Gouverneur’s vehicle crashed on
Highway 101 South. Gouverneur was pronounced dead at the crash scene.
On March 16, 2011 Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and the California Department of
Justice travelled to Ukiah, California to attend the autopsy of Tomas Gouverneur. It was
preliminarily determined that Gouverneur died of blunt force trauma to the head, however
toxicology results are pending. Later that day Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Detectives served a
search warrant on Gouverneur’s vehicle and located evidence linking him to the crime that
occurred in Kettenpom. Located in the vehicle was identically packaged marijuana which was
also located at the residence in Kettenpom. The marijuana was packaged for sales. Also
located in Gouverneur’s vehicle with the bag of marijuana was cash. Other items of evidentiary
value were found in the suspect’s car and on his person. These items are not being release
due to an ongoing investigation.
An autopsy was performed on March 15, 2011 for victims Kristine Constantino and Christopher
Richardson. The cause of death for both victims is pending the pathologist’s report.
Victim James Gund has identified suspect Tomas Gouverneur as the person who stabbed him
and his wife, Norma Gund.
Agencies Involved:
Trinity County Sheriff’s Office
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
Kettenpom Fire Department
Southern Trinity Area Rescue (STAR)
California Department of Justice
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