LAKEPORT — With a Disneyland sweatshirt slung over the back of her chair, a Windsor woman sobbed Monday as a Lake County judge dismissed all the charges against her, included attempted premeditated murder of her friend.
The Lake County District Attorney alleged that Deborah Ann James, 47, played a part in the shooting, torture and hogtying of Ronald Greiner Oct. 20 at the Lakeport man”s home on South Main Street behind the Record-Bee building.
“Me and Ron are best friends,” James said as she wiped her eyes.
Judge Arthur Mann ruled the District Attorney didn”t have sufficient evidence for the charges against James, including premeditated attempted murder, home invasion robbery in concert with another, first-degree burglary and participating in the criminal street gang, the Misfits. Special allegations the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang and a principal was armed with a firearm in commission of the offense accompanied the charges.
Mann ruled that the District Attorney”s Office presented sufficient evidence in the preliminary hearing against James”s codefendants, Thomas Loyd Dudney and Joshua Isaac Wandrey, who were scheduled for trial setting.
Dudney, 59, of Fulton and Wandrey, 35, of Rohnert Park are charged with premeditated attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, torture, home invasion robbery in concert with another, first-degree burglary, assault with a firearm, assault with a blunt force object, assault likely to produce great bodily injury, serious battery, simple mayhem and participating in the criminal street gang, the Misfits.
Three of the 11 charges carry life sentences. Special allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang, that great bodily injury was inflicted and use of a firearm accompany the charges.
Dudney and two other codefendants, Joseph Henri Deshetres, 62, of Santa Rosa and Cheryl Ann Reese, 56, of Lakeport allegedly conspired in November to intimidate a witness in the attempted murder case against Dudney.
Deshetres, Dudney and Reese are charged with intimidating a witness and participating in the criminal street gang, the Misfits. Special allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang accompany the first charge. The charges with special allegations carry a life sentence.
Deshetres, Dudney and Reese are scheduled for their preliminary hearing 1:30 p.m. March 12 in Department 3. They remain in custody at the Lake County Jail with a no-bail hold.
Relieved, James left the courtroom crying and breathing heavy ? she could hardly believe the case against her was dropped and kept asking her lawyer, Komnith Moth, to verify she wouldn”t have to return to court.
“The only thing I”m guilty of is knowing these people,” James said.
Moth said he knew his client was innocent, he was just glad the judge agreed.
“I hoped this would happen, but I didn”t expect it would happen,” Moth said.
Because of the case against her, James said she hasn”t been able to call Greiner to see if he”s OK. She said she would call him later Monday.
“I”m just grateful he”s alive and he”s doing well,” James said.
“I”ve been in a daze since it”s happened,” James said. “I know his family. I love Ron, me and Ron have been friends forever.”
Investigator David Bertocchini of the San Joaquin County District Attorney”s Office who investigates gang crimes testified that a photo of Wandrey taken from Dudney”s phone tells him Wandrey is a prospect for the Misfits because he”s wearing the club”s patch.
The circumstances of attempted murder and robbery would give Wandrey, if he were a Misfits prospect, the opportunity to prove himself, Bertocchini said.
“A prospect willing to do robbery and attempted murder, you have the ultimate and someone willing to do anything for the club,” he said.
Bertocchini testified he interviewed the longest-tenured member of the Misfits, who identified Dudney, known as KTom, to be a member who had a prospect.
Bertocchini said the Misfits qualify as a criminal street gang that participates in violent crimes. If the alleged crimes are true, Bertocchini said the offenses would likely benefit the Misfits by making money off the stolen marijuana and putting “more weight on the patch.”
When Misfits become members, Bertocchini said they get branded by a hot iron that says “1%” and sometimes “69.” Bertocchini testified Dudney has Misfits tattoos and branding.
Deputy Sheriff Lyle Thomas of the Lake County Sheriff”s Office testified that Brandi Morris lived with Dudney and said he left the house about 1 or 2 a.m. the morning of Greiner”s attack and returned about 9 a.m. wearing different clothes and immediately started cleaning his car.
Thomas said he interviewed Ryan Miller, who agreed to lend Wandrey a large metal box to store marijuana and Miller agreed to hold it for a while. When Rohnert Park Police stopped Miller, they found a rifle and clothing in the box, Thomas testified.
Thomas said in searches of Dudney”s house, officers found a suitcase and mail with KTom written on them. Detective John Drewrey of LCSO finished his testimony Monday, restating that Greiner did not pick Wandrey out of a photo lineup while the Lakeport man was in the hospital. Drewrey said Greiner identified Dudney by his nickname, KTom or KTron, as one of his assailants as well as Dudney”s prospect.
Dudney and Wandrey will return to court 8:15 a.m. March 15 in Department 3 for trial setting.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
