On 04/03/2015 at about 12:24 PM, the Sheriff’s Office received a welfare check request for 50 year-old Deborah Roth. Deborah reportedly lived with her husband, 51 year-old Roy Roth in a trailer on a large piece of property off South Shingle Road in Latrobe. The caller said Deborah had been missing for several days. The caller said Roy was at their house in Placerville and they would meet the deputies there.

Deputies responded to the Placerville address to talk with Roy Roth and the reporting parties. The caller told the deputies about series of events that occurred over the last couple of days that caused them concern. Normally, the caller talked to Deborah almost every day. It was also unusual for Deborah to miss prearranged meetings and not return telephone calls. Deputies were told the South Shingle Road property had been checked with no sign of Deborah. Friends and family had also contacted but no one had seen or heard from her.

The deputies also talked with Roy Roth. Roy told the deputies what had happened over the last several days to include they had argued and that she had left. Detectives were called in to assist.

Detectives drove to the property in the 8000 block of South Shingle Road to check trailer and property. On the property the body of a deceased adult female was located, presumably the remains of Deborah Roth. The Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigative (CSI) unit and additional investigators were called in to process the scene. The case is still under investigation. Roy Roth was later booked into the El Dorado County Jail on 04/04/2015 at 3:30 AM for murder, an unrelated outstanding warrant for his arrest, and an enhancement for having a prior felony conviction. He is being held without bail.

Lt. Tom Murdoch

Above: Roy Roth’s booking photo.

For the past several years, Public Safety Agencies nationwide have recognized the pivotal role played by public safety dispatchers, who utilize telephones, radios, computers and technical skill to provide support to Law Enforcement, Fire Services, Emergency Medical Services and other governmental field personnel.

Each year, the second week of April is dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety dispatchers. In 1991, Congress proclaimed it as a nationally recognized week of recognition. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office celebrates this year’s National Public Safety Dispatchers Week – April 5th – 11th in honor of their dedicated dispatchers who handle several thousand 9-1-1 calls each month. They dispatch deputies and coordinate with allied agencies for other law enforcement, fire services and emergency medical services response to those in need.

The 23 dedicated personnel of Sheriff’s Central Dispatch work around the clock, all year long, to support the deputies in the field and help keep the public safe. Sheriff D’Agostini recently presented, Supervising Public Safety Dispatcher, Cortney Barbot with the Civilian Supervisor of the Year award and Public Safety Dispatcher, Samantha Humphrey with the Dispatcher of the Year award.

Sheriff D’Agostini along with the Deputy Sheriffs of El Dorado County appreciate all of our dispatchers and take comfort knowing they are always there with skilled, compassionate help when we have an emergency.

Here are some interesting statistics from our Dispatch Center:
Total calls for service in 2014 – 72,178
Most common calls for service in 2014:
Traffic 9,659 * Medical & Fire Assists 7,425 * Alarm Activations 4,059 * Follow-ups 4,126 * 911 hang-ups 3,272 * Relay (to other agencies) 4,440 * Suspicious Subjects 3,511 * Suspicious Vehicles 2,227.

Below we have included information on things everyone needs to know about the 9-1-1 Emergency System and how to make the 9-1-1 system work for you.

making_911_everyone_1 (1)

There will be a special guest at this Thursday’s Welcoming Ceremony for new-hires and person’s promoted within the Sheriff’s Office. During the ceremony, there will be a pause to recognize El Dorado County resident Joan Coffin. Joan will be on hand to donate about 50 of her special teddy bears to the Sheriff’s Office as Comfort Bears.

Comfort Bears are little soft squeezable stuffed animals that can bring calm, comfort, and stability to children who are going through frightening or stressful times. Mrs. Coffin’s donations are from her heart, each decorated by her own hand. The bears are part of what she calls Joanie’s Joy, as she has been donating teddy bears to the local CHP Office for years. Joan hopes her creations will also someday find themselves in local fire trucks for children who just need something to hug and hold close. We at the Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Joan for allowing us to carry her special gift in our patrol cars or have available at our offices. They will truly comfort kids when they need it the most.
Lt. Tom Murdoch