Man”s body found in ditch near Upper Lake
NICE – A pathologist”s report revealed that blunt force head injuries were the cause of death in the case of Michael Eugene Fausnaugh, according to a Lake County Sheriff”s Office press release.
A pair of construction workers found Fausnaugh”s body in the early afternoon of March 23 when they stopped to tighten down their load in a dirt turnout by Highway 29”s southbound lane near Tule Lake Road.
The LCSO press release states that “an investigation by Lake County Sheriff”s Department detectives has revealed who was with Fausnaugh the night before his body was discovered,” but does not name them and declines to state whether or not they are suspects in Fausnaugh”s death.
Fausnaugh”s three companions were seen putting him into a car, stating they were going to get medical care, according to witness statements to LCSO detectives. The three were arrested in connection with his death and were soon thereafter released of the charges under Penal Code 825, which essentially states that a defendant must be arraigned within 48 hours of the arrest. The District Attorney”s Office has one year to gather evidence sufficient to refile.
A statement earlier this month from Lt. Cecil Brown of the LCSO indicated that the District Attorney”s Office could not make a determination about who to charge and what charges would be appropriate until solid evidence came back from the pathologist regarding cause of death. Specifically, Brown said they needed “information regarding the extent of the injuries, and whether one or more of the injuries contributed to his death.”
No further information was available as of press time Thursday evening.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
