Man suspected of double murder in Santa Cruz Mountains arrested
One month after the bodies of two men were found in a remote area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, authorities arrested a man on suspicion of murder.
According to the Golden Gate Division of the California Highway Patrol, officers located the victims in an abandoned pickup truck near the 17000 block of Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard) on March 24. Officers found the bodies on the bed of the pickup, both suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victims' names have not been released.
During the investigation, detectives with the Golden Gate Division Special Investigations Unit identified 66-year-old James David Collier of Boulder Creek as the suspect.
On April 9, a CHP SWAT team, along with detectives, crime scene investigators and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office served a search warrant at a home in Santa Cruz County associated with Collier.
The CHP said evidence from the search led to a criminal complaint being issued by the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and an arrest warrant.
Around 6:20 a.m. Sunday, detectives and a SWAT team arrested Collier without incident.
"The successful outcome would not have been possible without the outstanding partnership of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. We are grateful for their collaboration and unwavering commitment to justice," Golden Gate Division Chief Don Goodbrand said in a statement.
Collier has been booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of murder.
"You may think the CHP simply patrols the highways, looking for speeders," said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen. "My office would not be prosecuting this double murder without the excellent detective work by the CHP."
According to jail records, Collier is being held without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon.
