Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Oct. 31, 2021, at about 9:58 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a local hospital for the report of an adult female victim with facial lacerations resulting from a domestic violence incident.

Outside the hospital, deputies contacted 52-year-old Robert Daniel McKenzie-Michael and 51-year-old Eric Daniel Culbertson, who were found to be associated with the female victim. Deputies learned that McKenzie-Michael was the suspect who is believed to have injured the victim and he was taken into custody on scene.

During further investigation, deputies learned of an additional incident involving the negligent discharge of a firearm at McKenzie-Michael’s residence, which resulted in Culbertson taking possession of the firearm, bringing it to his residence. Culbertson is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms. Due to the totality of information, a search warrant was requested and was authorized by the Humboldt County Superior Court for both McKenzie-Michael’s and Culbertson’s residences, located on the 1800 block of S. Gwin Road in McKinleyville, to search for additional evidence related to the domestic violence incident and the previous negligent discharge incident.

During a search of McKenzie-Michael’s residence, deputies located evidence consistent with both incidents under investigation, in addition to ammunition, a large amount of cash, over one pound of cannabis bud and evidence of a previous illegal indoor cannabis cultivation operation.

During a search of Culbertson’s residence, deputies located four firearms- three of which did not contain serial numbers, ammunition, a large amount of cash, over 355 pounds of Butane Hash Oil (BHO), an illegal BHO pen manufacturing operation, approximately 126 pounds of cannabis bud and 34 pounds of cannabis shake.

In total between the two locations, over $9,500 was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.

Culbertson was taken into custody at his residence and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)), person prohibited in possession of ammunition (PC 30305(a)) and manufacturing/assembling a firearm (PC 29180(G)).

McKenzie-Michael was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse (PC 273.5(a)), false imprisonment (PC 236), assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)), assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(4)), discharge of a firearm in gross neglect (PC 246.3(a)), shooting at an inhabited dwelling (PC 245) and criminal threats (PC 422).

Additional charges related to the BHO operation and cannabis possession are pending additional investigation by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Marijuana Enforcement Team and review by the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.