Guzman death may have been accidental

In its continuing investigation into the death of a Fort Bragg man last month, Sheriff's officials say they are leaning toward a new conclusion in the still-open case.

Sheriff's Capt. Greg Van Patten said that following interviews with family members, there is a greater likelihood that the death of Patrick Guzman, 70, was an accident, not suicide.

"There are a lot of theories," he said, adding that an accident is the most plausible cause at this point. "But we're not discounting anything."

Guzman's body was found at the bottom of a tall oceanside cliff north of Westport Sept. on 8, a week after he was reported missing. His car was found Sept. 2, still running, next to mile marker 83.3.

While investigating and taking photos of the area on Sept. 8, a large caliber revolver was also found on the rocky bank by this reporter about 50 feet below the pullout area where Guzman's car was found. A white shoe sole, partially covered in beach sand about 150 feet below, was also visible through a zoom lens from the road's edge.

Fish and Wildlife Warden J. Hendricks located Guzman's body in an area not visible from the blufftops.

Family members began contacting this newspaper shortly afterward.

Daughter Traci Guzman said she has been in contact with Sheriff's Det. Sgt. Jason Caudillo, who is now leading the investigation.

She said Sgt. Caudillo's theories about the case differ from hers, but that they "agree to disagree" on some.

Traci said that shortly after her father's car was found, family members arrived to find his house had been ransacked. Guns, cash and a computer were taken, she said, but no investigators processed the home for evidence.

Contacted later by email, Van Patten said he was not notified that the home had been burglarized. Detectives were subsequently sent to investigate. Afterward, he said the results were inconsistent with the family's claims. Traci said a family member unknowingly cleaned the house before detectives arrived.

New information

Traci said she knew that her father recently had a disagreement with one of his neighbors that may have relevance to the case. She said some neighbors were feeding raccoons, which were also damaging Guzman's property. She said her dad would trap the animals and dispose of carcasses at oceanside cliffs. Traci surmised that while preparing to do so, he either slipped and shot himself or that gun went off during the fall. She and Capt. Van Patten confirmed that an animal trap was found inside Guzman's car at the scene.

The unusual handgun found at the scene is a five-shot revolver that can shoot 410-gauge shotgun rounds, as well as .45 caliber bullets. The gun was found to have one expelled shotgun round, Sheriff's investigators said.

Sheriff's officials said the round entered Guzman's abdomen.

Van Patten said later that he may have died from injuries sustained in the fall from the cliff, rather than from the gunshot.

Bill Cobb, of West Sacramento, has been friends with Guzman "since grammar school," and said he doubts the death was accidental. Cobb said Guzman often bought and sold firearms and was known to meet people at remote locations.

"I've gone with him a dozen times," Cobb said in a telephone interview. "I even sold him a gun once, and we met at a mile marker to split the difference [in distance]."

Cobb said he was surprised to hear about the gun, because it was not one Guzman was known to carry.

"He always had a smaller one that he carried in a glasses case in his pocket," Cobb said, adding it was possibly a derringer-style pistol. "I've never known him to not have it with him." Van Patten said he was not aware whether or not a smaller gun was found.

Cobb speculated that Guzman may have met someone and had a confrontation and struggle before a shot went off and he fell down the cliff. Cobb added that Guzman often had a lot of money with him.

Cobb also said that while Guzman was "different than most people," he was "basically a good guy."

Another close friend, Diane Sanders, has known Guzman since 1975 and also feels his death was suspicious, but for different reasons. She said her granddaughter had spoken to a psychic who said it was not accidental or suicide, but that someone close to Guzman had taken his life.

She said she had gone hunting with Guzman many times and he was knowledgeable and responsible with firearms.

"He had a lot of rifles and guns," Sanders said in a telephone interview.

Sanders and Guzman communicated about twice weekly and she said he was always upbeat and happy, but slept a lot and kept odd hours. She also said Guzman had told her he needed to trap a raccoon under his house in order to have plumbing repairs done. She questioned whether he was wearing protective gloves when he was found and if a raccoon carcass was nearby.

Questions remain

Traci Guzman and Diane Sanders both feel the case was mishandled by investigators and that more needs to be done.

Traci said she intends to contact the county grand jury about the investigation, which she feels was not handled properly.

Asked for her experience in law enforcement, she said that she has a degree in administration of justice, has worked for several Sacramento Valley sheriff's offices in a non-sworn and undercover capacity, and was married to a Yolo County deputy.

She also feels the autopsy was not handled properly and said Guzman's body was cremated afterward.

Memorial services were held in Sacramento, near where Guzman grew up. Traci said dealing with her father's death has been agonizing and that she has been taking medication in order to sleep at night.

"That's why I'm contacting the grand jury," she said, adding that since her father was cremated, she may never find answers to some of her questions. "It was just done badly."

Van Patten said the Sheriff's Office is still waiting for toxicology and blood alcohol test results to come back from the lab.