News (Media Awareness Project) - US CA: Names Of Dead Pot Cultivators Released |
| Title: | US CA: Names Of Dead Pot Cultivators Released |
| Published On: | 2003-09-26 |
| Source: | Oroville Mercury-Register (CA) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-19 11:28:28 |
NAMES OF DEAD POT CULTIVATORS RELEASED
The men killed Friday in the raid of a marijuana garden near Feather Falls
have been identified as Martin Cardenas Baez, 40, and Jose-Guadalupe
Castaneda Casillas, 22.
It's believed Casillas was living in San Jose before he came to Butte
County to allegedly guard the huge pot grow.
The former whereabouts of Baez haven't been determined.
They died when one of them allegedly leveled an Ak-47 assault rifle at
three Butte County Sheriff's deputies rather than drop their weapons and
surrender, as ordered in Spanish and English.
While deputies fired on the rifle-wielding suspect, a second man, said to
be armed with a handgun, ran into the line of fire.
Authorities were refusing Thursday to say which man was carrying the
assault rifle. According to a preliminary report, neither suspect fired shots.
A third man, Guizar Valentine Mora, was found at the scene armed with an
Ak-47, but was tackled and taken to the ground by deputy Jim Dimmitt.
Mora was arraigned in Butte County Superior Court Tuesday on charges of
unlawful planting of marijuana, possessing marijuana for sale and
cultivating marijuana while armed.
Authorities delayed releasing the names of the dead suspects until family
members could be notified.
Lt. Tony Burdine said relatives of both men were located in California.
Baez was found to have relatives in San Jose, whom he said are now trying
to reach his family in Mexico.
Several of Casillas' relatives were found in Visalia. They came to Oroville
Wednesday and spent two hours talking with Burdine.
He said the relatives will try to locate Casillas' parents, who live in Mexico.
Burdine said relatives of Casillas were "very surprised" to find the young
man had been tending a marijuana grow in Butte County.
He said the family believed Casillas was working in San Jose.
The marijuana garden was found to contain more than 11,000 mature marijuana
plants with an estimated street value of abut $22 million.
The garden was being irrigated by water diverted from a nearby creek.
Burdine said arrangements will be made to transport the bodies of Baez and
Casillas to either Southern California or Mexico as soon as the desires of
the family are known.
The men killed Friday in the raid of a marijuana garden near Feather Falls
have been identified as Martin Cardenas Baez, 40, and Jose-Guadalupe
Castaneda Casillas, 22.
It's believed Casillas was living in San Jose before he came to Butte
County to allegedly guard the huge pot grow.
The former whereabouts of Baez haven't been determined.
They died when one of them allegedly leveled an Ak-47 assault rifle at
three Butte County Sheriff's deputies rather than drop their weapons and
surrender, as ordered in Spanish and English.
While deputies fired on the rifle-wielding suspect, a second man, said to
be armed with a handgun, ran into the line of fire.
Authorities were refusing Thursday to say which man was carrying the
assault rifle. According to a preliminary report, neither suspect fired shots.
A third man, Guizar Valentine Mora, was found at the scene armed with an
Ak-47, but was tackled and taken to the ground by deputy Jim Dimmitt.
Mora was arraigned in Butte County Superior Court Tuesday on charges of
unlawful planting of marijuana, possessing marijuana for sale and
cultivating marijuana while armed.
Authorities delayed releasing the names of the dead suspects until family
members could be notified.
Lt. Tony Burdine said relatives of both men were located in California.
Baez was found to have relatives in San Jose, whom he said are now trying
to reach his family in Mexico.
Several of Casillas' relatives were found in Visalia. They came to Oroville
Wednesday and spent two hours talking with Burdine.
He said the relatives will try to locate Casillas' parents, who live in Mexico.
Burdine said relatives of Casillas were "very surprised" to find the young
man had been tending a marijuana grow in Butte County.
He said the family believed Casillas was working in San Jose.
The marijuana garden was found to contain more than 11,000 mature marijuana
plants with an estimated street value of abut $22 million.
The garden was being irrigated by water diverted from a nearby creek.
Burdine said arrangements will be made to transport the bodies of Baez and
Casillas to either Southern California or Mexico as soon as the desires of
the family are known.
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