Photo: Dezmond Remington

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The sentencing of Jake Combs, who was convicted twice of first degree murder for shooting Alderpoint’s Trevor Earley, was delayed today over the protests of Earley’s family.

Combs shot Earley in the head during a confrontation on Jan. 6, 2022.

The defense pointed to lingering issues in Combs’ open drugs-in-jail case, which the court wanted work through before he’s sentenced for the murder.

But in court today, Earley’s family pleaded with the judge to finally sentence the man on Friday, as initially scheduled, to allow for them to finally heal over four years later.

“Our lives have been consumed by this case,” Katrina Sutherland, the mother of the victim, told the judge via a statement read by the prosecutor.

She urged the court to consider the effect the lingering case has had on Earley’s loved ones.

She said they have been reliving the events over and over in court, taking time off work to attend every hearing in Eureka, a justice process that has included two full trials.

A jury convicted Combs of murder in August 2023. But due to an error in the judge admitting evidence, specifically information that while in jail awaiting trial Combs attacked another inmate in a wheelchair, the California First District Court of Appeal overturned this conviction.

The Humboldt County District Attorney’s office re-prosecuted the case this year, with a jury again finding Combs guilty of murder and a weapons enhancement on May 14.

“We’re getting thrown in the meat grinder,” said Nicholas Umbrello during a victim impact statement, adding “we can’t heal.” He urged the judge to consider the community, not the defendant alone, and sentence Combs.

During their statements to the court today, Earley’s loved ones pointed to a previous statement by Combs where he admitted to killing Earley and said he was ready to do his time — and pleaded with the judge to allow for this to happen.

In the other case, Combs is charged with possessing meth in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, along with an enhancement for a longer sentence through California’s three strikes law.

Judge Kaleb Cockrum set a briefing schedule today that will push out his murder sentencing by two months, after Combs’ defense attorney pointed to lingering issues with the drug case. Deputy Public Defender Emery Welton today noted a delay in a doctor’s evaluation and issues with the informant. 

Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Schaffer argued Welton didn’t show enough diligence towards addressing these issues, arguing it should have happened sooner.

Judge Cockrum acknowledged that to the family, the sentence feels overdue.

But he also said the court had procedures to follow, and noted there are judges looking over his shoulder, pointing to the appellate court that overturned the conviction.

Combs’ sentencing was rescheduled for September 23. The jury trial for the drugs-in-jail case is scheduled for September 14th, according to court minutes.

Previously, Combs was sentenced to 50 years to life in 2023 for the murder of Earley. The DA’s office offered him this same sentence in exchange for dropping the drugs-in-jail case before the 2026 trial, but he did not take the offer.

PREVIOUSLY

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Another case delayed today involved suspects accused of the murder and robbery of 37-year-old Joshua Lee McCollister, of Fort Bragg, in the community of Glendale near Blue Lake in 2025.

The preliminary hearing was pushed out by about a month on a request from defendant Deunn Willis’ attorney, due to a couple of lingering pieces of evidence.

Deputy Public Defender Adrian Kamada, who was recently appointed to the case, pointed to evidence like DNA testing of a weapon found at the scene and police reports he needs from the District Attorney’s office.

The hearing is expected to take about a day.

Willis, who is accused of murdering McCollister, has been in custody for over a year, while codefendant Danielle Durand (who is not charged with murder) is out on bail.

The next hearing is set for September 2.