Authorities continue search for murdered Lucerne man’s truck; suspects appear in court
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The two men charged with the murder of a Lucerne man have made their first court appearance in the case while the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it is continuing to try to locate the truck belonging to the victim.
The body of Nicky Dale Smith, 70, was found on the side of the road in the 4550 block of Scotts Valley Road near Lakeport shortly before 7:30 a.m. Saturday, as Lake County News has reported.
Within hours, sheriff’s detectives had identified Daniel Wayne Ford, 49, of Lakeport and Michael Sean Shaffer, 35, of Upper Lake as the suspects in Smith’s killing.
Both men were arrested on Saturday night, as Lake County News has reported.
The sheriff’s office subsequently asked for the community’s help in locating Darlene Geneva Anderson, a Northshore resident they believed had information needed in the investigation.
Sheriff’s Lt. Corey Paulich said detectives were able to locate and interview Anderson.
He said they weren’t commenting on what statements Anderson made to investigators.
Paulich also reported that Smith’s autopsy took place on Wednesday.
“It was determined that he died from blunt force trauma and gunshot wounds,” Paulich said.
Detectives are working hard to contact potential witnesses and searching for evidence, according to Paulich.
Paulich said Smith’s dark green Toyota Tundra pickup, with the license plate “NASTOSR,” is still missing.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information regarding this investigation or the location of Smith’s missing truck to contact Sheriff’s Central Dispatch at 707-263-2690.
Suspects make first court appearance
District Attorney Susan Krones said Ford and Shaffer were arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Tuesday.
Krones has charged the men together with the following crimes:
– Count one: murder, with special allegations that the murder was committed during an attempted robbery, an attempted kidnapping and a carjacking;
– Count two: attempted robbery;
– County three: kidnapping;
– Count four: carjacking, with special allegations of Ford discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury and death, and Ford personally using and firing a handgun;
– Count five (Ford only): assault with a firearm, with a special allegation of Ford using a handgun;
– Count six: (Ford only): assault with a deadly weapon, a flashlight;
– Count seven: Assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, with a special allegation of inflicting great bodily injury on a person who was 70 years old;
– Count eight (Ford only): felon in possession of a firearm.
Court records indicate that Ford has previous felony convictions, including reckless evading in Mendocino County in 2007, possession of methamphetamine for sale in Mendocino County in 2011 and for criminal threats in 2015 in Del Norte County.
Shaffer has felony convictions in Lake County including in 2012 for assault with a deadly weapon and for reckless evading in 2017.
Krones said both men indicated on Tuesday they wanted to hire a private attorney. “So they did not enter a plea.”
She said Ford and Shaffer are scheduled to return to court at 8:15 a.m. Dec. 10 for appearance of counsel and plea entry.
Asked if there is any idea of motive, Krones said, “At this point, no.”
She added, “At this point it’s still an early investigation.”
Krones said, however, that it wasn’t a random killing, with Smith having had prior contact with Ford and Shaffer.
Both Ford and Shaffer are being held at the Lake County Jail without bail, according to jail records.
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