UPDATE: 3/21: Ukiah Daily Journal has more information.  http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_20220468/sources-willits-grandfather-was-dragged-behind-truck
 
The grandson’s picture:  http://www.willitsnews.com/ci_20222353/grandson-being-held-grandfathers-murder

UPDATE: Mendocino County Sheriff Press Release: On 03-20-2012 at 0800 hours a forensic autopsy was conducted on (V) Richard Wilkinson in Ukiah, California.

The preliminary results of the autopsy pending BA/Toxicology analysis was that Richard Wilkinson’s cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma.

At this time Sheriff’s Office Detectives are continuing their investigation into the incident and into the motive for Richard Wilkinson’s murder.

Sheriff’s Detectives are being assisted by Mendocino County District Attorney Office Investigators and Criminalists from the California Department of Justice.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contacted Detective Andrew Whiteaker at 707-463-4103 or the Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 707-463-4086.

A reported assault in Willits last night, ended with a grandfather, Richard Mel  Wilkinson age 84 dead and his grandson, Kenneth Wilkinson age 22, in jail with a $500,000 bail.

Mendocino Co. Sheriff Press Release Follows:

On 3-17-2012 at approximately 2302 the Mendocino County Sheriffs Dispatch Center received information that an unknown type of assault had taken place in or near the listed location on East Hill Road in Willits,CA.

    Mendocino County Sheriffs Deputies responded to the location and learned some type of physical assault had taken place at the location between the suspect (who was care-taking for the victim) and his grandfather (the victim).

    Deputies learned from family members that the victim was missing from the location and they could not find him.

    Deputies then started looking for the victim and eventually located him deceased, downhill, off the side of Mariposa Creek Road.

    Mendocino County Sheriffs Detectives, with the assistance of District Attorney Inspectors, are continuing the investigation into the death of  Victim Wilkinson.

    Suspect Kenneth Wilkinson was arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail for a charge of 187PC.  His bail is currently set at $500,000.

    A forensic autopsy will be conducted sometime in the coming days.

    Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office at 707-463-4086.