LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that its detectives have arrested a Potter Valley man who they believe is responsible for the 2020 murder of a Lake County resident whose remains were found in the Mendocino National Forest.

Christopher Jon McDonald, 44, of Potter Valley has been arrested in connection to the killing of 48-year-old John Turner Dickerson, 48, of Nice, said Lt. Corey Paulich.

Paulich said Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an area in the Mendocino National Forest on Aug. 9 on a report of possible human remains being discovered.

Detectives from the Lake County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit also responded to the location and determined the remains were human, badly decomposed and were believed to have been in the forest for several weeks, Paulich said.

The remains were recovered and an autopsy was conducted later that week. Paulich said the autopsy revealed that the remains belonged to a male and the death was a homicide due to a gunshot wound.

Paulich said the detectives also were able to positively identify the victim as Dickerson, who reportedly came to Lake County from the East Coast.

On Aug. 19, 2020, detectives served a search warrant at a property in Potter Valley associated with McDonald, Paulich said.

Through the investigation, Paulich said detectives determined McDonald was one of the last people seen with Dickerson before his death.

During the search of McDonald’s property, evidence was located and later tested that linked McDonald to the murder of Dickerson, Paulich reported.

In the months since, detectives have continued investigating several leads related to Dickerson’s death, Paulich said.

Paulich said that work led on Tuesday to detectives obtaining an arrest warrant for McDonald.

He was arrested for a charge of murder and is currently being held in the Mendocino County Jail where he is in custody for unrelated charges. Paulich said McDonald is awaiting extradition to Lake County.

So far, authorities have not said what they believe McDonald’s motive was in the killing.

Paulich said the sheriff’s office is asking anyone who may have more information regarding this case to contact Detective Jeff Mora at 707-262-4224 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..