11 charged in California burglary spree that left home so damaged, bears moved in

CBS News Sacramento

Eleven people were charged in connection with a series of burglaries at a Northern California residence that resulted in so much damage to the home that bears were able to enter it, officials said Friday.

Butte County's District Attorney's Office said first-degree residential burglary charges were filed against the group of nearly a dozen suspects accused of repeatedly targeting a 64-year-old woman's home in the small community of Magalia.

The first reported incident happened on April 17, 2024, the district attorney's office said. This was followed by more burglaries that occurred so frequently that the woman stayed away from her home, in fear that the burglars would find her there upon returning.

The Magalia home sustained so much damage that multiple bears were able to access the inside, causing even more damage.

The eleven people charged were:

  • Sean Anthony Crua, 43, of Magalia
  • Nicholas Brown, 37, of Magalia
  • Mary Ricca, 59, of Magalia
  • Sefo Sipa, 37, of Paradise
  • Gavin Dominguez-Feathers, 25, of Magalia
  • Joey Kupiheanapeahi, 42, of Magalia
  • Breanna Maier, 32, of Magalia
  • Michael Barnett, 29, of Magalia
  • Matthew Bacon, 44, of Magalia
  • Lindsey McLaughlin, 37, of Magalia
  • and Kayla Goebel, 34, of Magalia.

Crua, Maier, Dominguez-Feathers, and Kupiheanapeahi all remain in custody of the Butte County Jail with bail set at $50,000, the district attorney's office said. Brown posted bail and the rest were released on their own recognizance, despite prosecutors objecting.

All are expected back in court for further arraignment on July 9 and 10.

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