On 08/24/15 at about 7:20 PM, deputies responded to assist a California State Parks Ranger regarding a missing person. In the area of the Marshall gold discovery site, the deputy learned that 33 year-old Luke Matson of Vail Colorado went swimming about 3 hours prior and had not returned. Matson was last seen by friends floating downstream from Sutter’s Mill. He did not appear to be in distress.

The deputy asked CHP helicopter H20 to fly the river in search for Matson as they checked shore area. By dusk, no one matching the description of Matson was found by air or land. Late in the day, deep parts of the river and shaded areas were difficult to see into. A secondary search was conducted late into the night. Matson was not located then either.

On 08/25/15 deputies from the Office of Emergency Services (OES) called-in the Swift Water Rescue team, part of the County’s Search & Rescue. Eight members of the unit responded. At about 11:35 AM, a deceased male was located in the American River. The body was under about 12 feet of water, about 20 feet off shore, in the area of North Beach in Coloma State Park. Swift Water team members recovered the body and brought him to shore. The Coroner’s Office was called in to investigate and the decedent was identified as Luke Matson.

A preliminary report lists the cause of death to be accidental by drowning. The final cause will be determined after the autopsy and toxicology reports are completed.

Lt. Tom Murdoch

The photo of Luke Matson was provided by the family.

On 08/26/15 at about 8:00 PM, deputies and CHP Officers responded to a burglary in progress at a residence in the 3000 block of Lo-Hi Court in Placerville. The suspect was reportedly being detained by the homeowners. On arrival, CHP Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies took custody of 19 year-old Tryston Alvarez-Ross of Placerville.

The victims stated they were only gone a couple of hours. They left their house locked and when they came home, noticed lights were now on. Getting out of their vehicle, Alvarez-Ross came walking out of the house.

The deputies found the house had been ransacked, the TV turned on, and alcohol consumed. Male clothing that reportedly belonged to Alvarez-Ross was found on the bathroom floor adjacent to a bathtub that had been defecated in. Alvarez-Ross was also wearing a pair of woman’s pants belonging to one of the victims.

Tryston Alvarez-Ross was arrested for burglary and transported back to the El Dorado County Jail. He had been arrested for burglary and drug charges on 08/24/15 and released on 08/26/15 at 5:15 PM. He had been out of custody less than 3 hours. He is in custody in lieu of $50,000.00 bail.

Lt. Tom Murdoch

On 08/24/15 at about 3:00 PM, South Lake El Dorado Narcotics Task Force Agents (SLEDNET) served a search warrant at a residence in the 800 block of Tallac Road in South Lake Tahoe. At the residence, Agents contacted eleven adults, seven of them claiming to reside at the location. The warrant service was focused around an investigation alleging the sales and use of illegal narcotics.

Suspected methamphetamine and heroin was located throughout the residence. Also located were items consistent with the sales of illegal narcotics; packaging and scales. Spoons commonly used to reduce heroin into a liquid form by heating them, small cotton pieces commonly used to filter drugs before injection and hypodermic needles and syringes were found. Glass pipes commonly used to smoke methamphetamine were also recovered.

The following were arrested and booked into the El Dorado County Jail on the listed charges:

Richard Martin (above) – Maintain residence for sale of narcotics, Possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Joshua Martin (above) – Possession of a controlled substance, Maintain residence for sale of narcotics, Possession of narcotics paraphernalia, Violation of probation.

Marty Beaman (above) – Possession of methamphetamine with intent to sale, Possession of heroin with intent to sale, Maintain residence for sale of narcotics, Possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Shawn McGrath (above) – Maintain residence for sale of narcotics, Possession of false compartment to conceal narcotics, Possession of heroin with intent to sale, Possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Gabrielle Cooley (above) – Possession of heroin with intent to sale, Possession of methamphetamine with intent to sale, Maintain residence for sale of narcotics, Possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Rachel Neill (above) – Maintain residence for sale of narcotics, Possession of false compartment to conceal narcotics, Possession of heroin with intent to sale, Possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Angela Zimmerman (above) – Loiter for the purpose of narcotics activity.