May 3, 2022

SHERIFF’S OFFICE & DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE INVESTIGATING IN CUSTODY DEATH

Oroville, CA – On the morning of April 30, 2022, Butte County Sheriff’s Office Correctional Deputies were conducting routine safety checks on inmates housed at the Butte County Jail. Around 11:23 a.m., a Correctional Deputy discovered inmate Cristian Nunez-Paiafox, age 23, of Chico, unresponsive within his cell. Correctional Deputies located evidence Nunez-Paiafox used a bed sheet to commit suicide.
Correctional Deputies and jail medical staff immediately began providing Nunez-Paiafox with emergency medical treatment. Paramedics responded and provided additional emergency medical treatment. Despite the life-savings measures that were administered, jail medical staff and paramedics were not able to revive Nunez-Paiafox.
Butte County District Attorney’s Office Investigators and Butte County Sheriff’s Office Detectives responded to the jail and began investigating. During the investigation, personnel interviewed Correctional Deputies, medical staff, and inmates housed in cells adjacent to the cell occupied by Nunez-Paiafox. Investigators and detectives located evidence which confirmed Nunez-Paiafox used a bed sheet to commit suicide.
Investigators and detectives determined Nunez-Paiafox was housed in a cell by himself and other inmates did not have access to Nunez-Paiafox’s cell. Investigators and detectives reviewed video surveillance and determined Correctional Deputies had been conducting hourly checks on Nunez-Paiafox. Prior to locating Nunez-Paiafox, Correctional Deputies conducted a check on Nunez-Paiafox at 10:38 a.m. During the 10:38 a.m. check, Nunez-Paiafox was alive and he did not request any assistance from Correctional Deputies. An autopsy will be conducted by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office to determine Nunez-Paiafox’s cause of death.
Investigators and detectives determined Nunez-Paiafox was arrested by the Chico Police Department on April 28, 2022, for misdemeanor counts of battery and resisting arrest. He was subsequently booked into the Butte County Jail. Butte County District Attorney’s Office Investigators and Sheriff’s Office Detectives are actively investigating this incident.

April 21, 2022

JUVENILE ARRESTED AT LAS PLUMAS HIGH SCHOOL

Oroville, CA- On April 21, 2022, around 7:00 a.m., the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) received a call from a parent of a Las Plumas High School student. The parent indicated she had information a Las Plumas High School student on a school bus had a firearm in his possession. BCSO deputies immediately began looking for the bus, notified Las Plumas High School, and responded to Las Plumas High School.
Deputies arrived at Las Plumas High School around the same time the bus was arriving. When the bus arrived, school staff members attempted to contact the juvenile and he fled on foot. Deputies worked with school staff and were able to locate and detain the juvenile without incident. Deputies investigated and determined the juvenile had thrown the firearm in a field after he fled from school staff.
Deputies conducted an area check with the assistance of a firearm detection K-9 from the Paradise Police Department. Deputies were able to locate the firearm the juvenile threw in a field near Las Plumas High School. The juvenile was arrested for a felony charge of possessing a firearm at school and was subsequently booked at the Butte County Juvenile Hall.
The firearm deputies located was a “ghost gun.” Ghost guns are unserialized and untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home. This investigation is ongoing. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about this investigation to contact deputies at 530-538-7671.
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April 21, 2022

DEPUTIES USE LESS-LETHAL 40MM AND K-9 TO SAFELY APPREHEND ASSAULT AND BURGLARY SUSPECT

Oroville, CA- On April 21, 2022, around 4:20 a.m., the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) received a call from an elderly victim who stated his roommate assaulted him. BCSO deputies immediately responded to a residence located in the 2400 block of Las Plumas Avenue and contacted the elderly victim. Deputies determined John Sanders, age 49, of Oroville assaulted his elderly roommate and left the residence on foot. The elderly victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Deputies immediately began searching the Las Plumas Avenue area for Sanders. While searching the area, BCSO began receiving phone calls from residents on Las Plumas Avenue. The residents indicated Sanders entered an occupied residence, refused to leave, and took a blanket from inside the residence. The residents indicated Sanders then forced entry into an unoccupied residence that was undergoing construction near the 2200 block of Las Plumas Avenue.
Deputies and detectives immediately responded to the residence, set up a perimeter, and attempted to establish communication with Sanders. Deputies could hear Sanders screaming and breaking items inside the residence. Sanders refused to follow deputies’ directions. Deputies contacted the homeowner and determined there were multiple weapons stored inside the residence. Deputies were concerned about Sanders accessing the weapons. With assistance from CHP, deputies expanded their perimeter and stopped traffic on Las Plumas Avenue.
Deputies attempted to communicate with Sanders for approximately one hour. Sanders refused to follow directions, refused to exit the residence, and continued to break items inside the residence.
When sufficient law enforcement resources arrived on scene, deputies were able to use a 40mm less-lethal launcher to help them safely arrest Sanders. The 40mm is a shoulder fired launcher which uses a propellant cartridge to launch a foam projectile. The foam projectile is a less-lethal option the Sheriff’s Office recently acquired.
After being struck by the less-lethal projectile, Sanders attempted to retreat toward the kitchen area of the residence. A police service dog was deployed inside the residence to assist with Sanders arrest. It was later determined the police service dog cut his left leg during the arrest. The 40mm and the police service dog allowed Sanders to be safely taken into custody. Sanders was medically cleared and later booked at the Butte County Jail for felony counts of burglary, elder abuse, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The police service dog was taken to a local vet hospital for treatment and was later released. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about this investigation to contact deputies or detectives at 530-538-7671.

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March 29, 2022
SHERIFF’S OFFICE CONDUCTING HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION

Oroville, CA - On March 28, 2022, at approximately 4:21 PM, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) received a call indicating two individuals had been involved in a physical altercation at Feather Falls Casino. Callers reported that one of the individuals involved in the altercation was not breathing. Deputies from BCSO responded to the location and found a victim inside Feather Falls Casino. Medical personnel responded to the scene to render aid, however the victim, who was subsequently identified as Dennis Wold (age 55), of Chico, died at the scene.
An investigation into the circumstances of the altercation was initiated. During the course of the investigation, the individual involved in the altercation with Wold was identified as Michael Livermore (age 37), of Oroville. Livermore fled the scene on foot immediately after the altercation. After an extensive search of the area surrounding Feather Falls Casino, Livermore was located and taken into custody without incident.
During the subsequent investigation, detectives located evidence that gave them cause to believe Livermore’s actions caused the death of Wold. Livermore was booked into the Butte County Jail for an open count of murder. This investigation is ongoing.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about this investigation to contact detectives at 530-538-7671.
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March 15, 2022

WESTWOOD RESIDENT ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON

Magalia, CA – On March 14, at approximately 10:21 p.m., BCSO began receiving reports that a victim was hit by a vehicle on Oak Park Drive, Magalia. BCSO deputies, California Highway Patrol Officers (CHP), and medical personnel immediately responded to Oak Park Drive and located a female victim who had been hit by a vehicle. The victim was transported to a local hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. Doctors were able to stabilize the victim during the emergency surgery. She is currently in critical condition.
Deputies and detectives investigated and located evidence that Kayla McCally, age 29, of Westwood, was involved in an altercation with the victim. During the altercation, McCally got into the victim’s vehicle, rapidly accelerated, hit the victim, and hit a tree. After crashing the vehicle McCally fled the area on foot.
Deputies, detectives, and CHP Officers contacted McCally at a residence on Bille Road, Paradise around 1:45 a.m. on March 15. Detectives located additional evidence which gave them cause to believe McCally was the individual who hit the victim.
McCally was arrested for the following felony charges: Assault with a deadly weapon, inflicting great bodily injury on a victim during the commission of a felony, felony hit and run, and felony driving under the influence of alcohol. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information about this investigation to contact deputies and detectives at 530-538-7671.
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