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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Oct. 10, 2020, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received information that two fugitives wanted on murder charges out of the state of Washington were possibly staying in Humboldt County. The two fugitives, 28-year-old Kylie Kadeen Craig and 37-year-old Matthew Collett had reportedly been seen in the county earlier in the week.

On October 10 at about 12:43 p.m., Sheriff’s deputies on patrol in the area of Redwood Drive and West Coast Road in Redway stopped to assist a California Highway Patrol officer with a female motorist who had reportedly run out of gas. Deputies recognized the female as matching the description of fugitive Kylie Craig. The female was later confirmed to be Craig and was taken into custody by the California Highway Patrol. Craig was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of fugitive from justice (PC 1551(A)) in relation to being wanted for murder out of Washington state. Please refer to the California Highway Patrol for more information about this incident.

Later that day, at about 5:54 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call with the report of an attempted carjacking in the area of New Navy Base Road and Vance Avenue in Samoa.

The victim, a local vehicle salesman, told dispatchers that he was on a test drive with a male suspect, later identified a Matthew Collett, when Collett asked the victim, who was driving, to pull the vehicle over near Vance Avenue. Collet then reportedly exited the vehicle and brandished a firearm at the victim in an attempt to steal the vehicle. The victim refused to give up the vehicle and instead called 9-1-1. Collet then reportedly fled onto nearby train tracks.

Deputies arrived on scene and began searching the area for Collet. During that time, deputies contacted a passerby in the area who had observed Collet and was able to provide updated last known location information. Deputies searched that area and located Collett walking on a trail. Collet was taken into custody without incident. HCSO K9 Deputy Yahtzee and his handler later located the firearm associated with Collett near New Navy Base Road.

Collett was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of fugitive from justice (PC 1551(A)) in relation to being wanted for murder out of Washington state. Sheriff’s deputies are submitting additional charges of attempted carjacking to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.

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ELSEWHERE: Detective: Murder suspects rented two U-Haul vans to throw off investigators (Kitsap Sun)