PREVIOUSLY: Two Missing Following Assault, Possible Kidnapping in Covelo, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Says

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office press release: 

On 11-23-2020 at approximately 3:30 PM a bystander located the bodies of two deceased persons along Hulls Valley Road in a remote area Northeast of Covelo’s valley floor.

Sheriff’s Detectives responded to the location and confirmed the existence of the two deceased bodies.

Due to pending darkness, the Sheriff’s Detectives processed the scene the following day with the assistance of the California Department of Justice Eureka crime lab and investigators with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office.

On 11-27-2020 a forensic autopsy was performed on the bodies at which time they were identified as being Kyle James McCartney and Traci Lynn Bland.

An official cause of death for both individuals is pending at this time but Sheriff’s Detectives are investigating their deaths as being homicide related.

Sheriff’s Detectives are continuing investigations at this time and are working closely with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office in identifying suspect(s) and potential charging/prosecution related to McCartney and Bland’s deaths.

No additional information is available for release at this time due to the Sheriff’s Detectives ongoing investigations. 

Once additional information becomes available, it will be disseminated via Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office press release.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following public safety agencies for their assistance in this ongoing investigation:

Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office, Round Valley Tribal Police Department, California Department of Justice Eureka crime lab and the California Department of Justice Santa Rosa crime lab.