Redding man arrested in connection to triple homicide in Shasta County
A Redding man has been arrested in connection to a triple homicide in Shasta County, including the killing of a 75-year-old woman in Lakehead.
Michael Todd Merryman, 33, is due in court Friday for arraignment on three counts of murder, according to the sheriff's office.
The case began April 30 when sheriff's deputies were called to a home in the 21000 block of Riverview Drive in Lakehead to check on 75-year-old Pamela Castleberry, sheriff's officials said.
Deputies who went to the home noticed that the house appeared to have been burglarized and Castleberry and her vehicle were missing, officials said. Castleberry was found dead inside her vehicle the next day, May 1, in a remote area of Bella Vista.
After performing an autopsy, officials ruled her death a homicide. Nearly a week later, on May 6, detectives returned to the area where Castleberry's body was found and located two more people who had been killed and their bodies badly burned, officials said.
The two were identified as Cynthia Duran, 41, and Louis Sanchez, 48. The causes of their deaths also were ruled homicides, officials said.
Sheriff's officials said in a news release that the bodies of Duran and Sanchez were not in the area when they initially found Castleberry on April 30.
Detectives obtained evidence that tied Merryman to the three deaths. Merryman, who had an arrest warrant for violating parole, also was in a vehicle crash in the Oak Run area on May 13 and had been taken to a Redding hospital, officials said.
Detectives arrested Merryman at the hospital, where he remained until he was cleared to be booked into jail, officials said.
On May 23, Merryman was being held without bail. Officials said his arraignment is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on May 24 in Shasta County Superior Court.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding man arrested in connection to triple slaying in Shasta County
