UPDATE – Wednesday 11/16/16
Zachary Wuester, the suspect in the murder of Jeffrey Settler, has been arrested and booked. Follow the link for the new details.
UPDATE – Sunday 11/13/16 – 3:40pm
According to an email from Captain Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, “reports of an abduction have been dispelled at this point in the investigation.” He also said could not provide further information on the nature of the killing but that “a forensic autopsy will be conducted on Monday or Tuesday.”
The victim in this this homicide was Jeffrey Quinn Settler, 35, a resident of the Laytonville area, originally of Bethel Island, California. Sources close to Settler describe a him “good man,” a father, a Grateful Dead fan, “friendly and helpful,” and a “magic maker.” He had resided in the county for about 15 years, and a cannabis farmer. Facebook is awash in expressions of grief, condolences and respect in the wake of these events. Commenters are sharing memories of their friendship and stories of him and his family.
The photo below was provided by someone close to Settler and his family; he is shown here with Becky Harris. MCSO has issued a statewide be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) for five suspects in Settler’s murder — scroll down to see their photos.

The deceased, Jeffery Settler, with Becky Harris.
See our previous coverage of the investigation: Homicide in Laytonville, Investigation Ongoing.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE:
The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) today, Nov. 13. The Mendocino Voice has not independently confirmed any of the information. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty. There is a small typo in the release that the MSCO has sent an email to correct. The incident transpired from the late night of Thursday, 11/10/16, to the early morning Friday 11/11/16. The press release includes photographs of the suspects at the bottom.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number:
2016-35123Crime/Incident:
187 PC (Murder)211 PC (Robbery)
Location:
49000 block of North Highway 101 in Laytonville, CADate of Incident:
11-11-2016Time:
3:39 PMVictim(s):
Jeffrey Quinn Settler (35 year-old male from Bethel Island, California)Suspect(s):
Zachary Ryan Wuester (24 year -old male from Haskell, New Jersey)Frederick Gaestel (27 year-old male from Clifton, New Jersey)
Gary Blank III (Adult Male from Elgin, Illinois)
Gary Lynn Fitzgerald (23 year-old male from Roanoke, Illinois)
Amanda Weist (26 year-old female from Fairfax, Virginia)
Written By:
Detective Sergeant Andrew PorterSynopsis:
On 11-11-2016 at 3:39 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were summoned to a reported man who had been murdered on a remote property located in the 49000 block of North Highway 101 in Laytonville, California.The property was a rural parcel approximately 5 miles from Highway 101, on a dirt road that traveled in a westerly direction.
Deputies responded to the scene confirming there was a male adult who was obviously deceased as a result of what appeared to be a violent assault.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Detectives were summoned to the scene, along with Investigators from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office and Criminalists from the California Department of Justice.
During the investigation it was determined the deceased male adult, Jeffrey Quinn Settler, was operating a commercial marijuana growing operation on the property.
In the early morning hours of 11-11-2016 (Thursday), multiple subjects who had been recently employed by Settler as marijuana trimmers returned to the property in the middle of the night with the intent to commit robbery of processed marijuana.
The investigation has revealed the subjects knew the marijuana was stored in the same structure where Settler slept and the subjects violently assaulted him during the robbery, causing his death.
The subjects were believed to have fled the property in at least two vehicles and were believed to have stolen over 100 pounds of processed marijuana. The subjects are believed to possibly be fleeing to Southern California or out of state.
One of the vehicles is believed to be a blue 2017 Volkswagen Golf 4-door sedan displaying Virginia license plate number VHR5611.
Sheriff’s Detectives have obtained a murder/robbery felony arrest warrant for Zachary Wuester, who was identified as being one of the subjects involved in this case.
Sheriff’s Detectives have also identified Frederick Gaestel, Gary Blank III, Gary Lynn Fitzgerald and Amanda Weist as being participants in the robbery/murder.
A statewide Be-On-The-Look-Out (BOLO) was disseminated for all the subjects and Sheriff’s Detectives will be seeking arrest warrants on the remaining subjects in the near future.
The investigation has shown no evidence or inference that the marijuana growing operation was for medical purposes and Sheriff’s Detectives believe it was solely for the purpose of commercial gain.
Any persons with information about this incident, or the current whereabouts of the named suspects are encouraged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Services Unit at 707-463-4421 or the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 707-234-2100.
Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten
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Last got Fred geastel (mohawk)seen in redway at liquor store Sunday 3:30p.m. others rumored to have been seen in Eureka.
Last guy
Can’t wait to they catch them ! Damn interlopers.
The guy was a drug dealer he distorted more life’s then he helped.. feds say pot is elegal … this would never have happen if he wasn’t growing elegal substance (POT) if the cops did there job stopped the Growing of POT
*illegal
Learn to Spell! And he didnt destroy anyone’s life!
You’re about a “DUMB SHIT”!!! Either that or you are around 8 or 9 yrsold or you did not get very far in school!!! Apparently you did not know Jeff!!! He would never have hurt anyone and for your information, Jeff had a license to grow marijuana, Dumb Ass!!!
Shut the Fuck Up. If you believe Jeff deserved to die because weed is illegal, your moral compass needs a massive adjustment.
They should give all them a pass… They give the drug dealer a pass they is a lot of people in jail for having a lot less then 100lbs of POT mean while your spend our tax dollars looking for people that most likely saved people life POT is the beginning assed any heroin addicted what he started with… 99% will say Pot… but since the cops DEA FIB isn’t doing there job by inforceing federal law they allow these drug dealers to profit of our stuiped people that smoke pot
It’s clear that he was a DRUG DEALER the scum of the earth
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and we would like to keep this as a venue for the free exchange of ideas. We believe that avoiding direct insults is helpful in maintaining a civil discussion. We approved your comment, but ask that in the future you refrain from directly insulting people. Thank you.
You’re a douche
It said he grew it comercially, may have been for people with cancer/pain relief. This doesn’t make him scum. But judging people and not knowing how to spell properly (using the word aint) doesnt make you seem like you are in a position to judge
Commercial
Stupid
Commercial doesn’t mean medical it has to do with commerce which is capital gain
I feel for him, his family, his friends. Growing mmj is a way to make a living in the rural areas of Northern California and it isn’t easy (or else everyone would do it). Yes it is a high stakes game with a lot to lose so that’s why it is so profitable… He paid them for their help and they weren’t content. Needed more. Now they have murder on their conscience for less than 20 grand a piece. It’s a sad sad thing.
Actually trump, you inbred, the gateway drug all have tried first is actually alcohol
Maybe, considering the down-swing in weed prices, the grower shorted his workers, and, the crew came back to settle accounts. Landless laborers need their money. The cost of living is very high up in Satanville. When a land-owning hippy capitalist cheats his workers, he takes his chances. All praise to the struggling landless of the Infernal Regions. All power to the dialectic!
A life is a life and if you commit murder for reasons other then self defense you should pay for the crime.