MENDOCINO Co., 10/30/18 — A Willits resident, Marcus Caldwell, 27, has been arrested and arraigned for the charge of forcible rape. The victim is a 30 year old woman, who was acquainted with Caldwell and identified him as her assailant. He has pled not guilty and is being held in lieu of $500,000 in bail.
The alleged incident occurred on Jan. 21 of this year, but Caldwell had not been arrested pending the results of a DNA test. According to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office the DNA results came back positive on Wednesday of last week and Caldwell was arrested Friday at work.
The incident is alleged to have occured in the 2600 block of Mitomkai Way, placing the events on the eastern property of the Sherwood Rancheria.
According to law enforcement, in the early morning of Jan. 21, Caldwell allegedly shut off power to the victim’s home, then forced his way into her house and forcibly raped her. She called law enforcement at around 6:45 a.m. and reported the incident. She was then taken to Howard Memorial Hospital where she was examined and evidence was taken.
Caldwell volunteered a DNA sample, claiming it would exonorate him, but after many months of waiting the results came back positive last week.
At his arraignment Caldwell’s bail was continued at $500,000 and a restraining order placed on him, forbidding him from having any contact with the victim. He was appointed a public defender and his preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 14.
According to Lt. Shannon Barney of the MCSO, Caldwell had never resided at the location on Mitomkai, nor had he cohabitated or shared children with the victim. According to Caldwell’s Facebook page he is employed as a groundskeeper for a local tree service.
Here is the full press release from the MCSO with some additional details. The Mendocino Voice has not independently verified these details, and all people are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by the American legal system.
DATE: “October 30, 2018”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number: 2018-01938
Crime/Incident: 261(A)(2) PC [Forcible Rape]
Location: 2600 Block of Mitomka Way, Willits CA 95490
Date of Incident: January 21, 2018
Time: Between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM
Victim(s): Adult Female, 30 years of age, Willits CA
Suspect(s): Marcus L. Caldwell, 27 years of age, Willits CA
Written By: Lieutenant Shannon Barney
Synopsis: On 1/21/18 around 6:43 AM Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 2600 Block of Mitomka Way in Willits after a 30 year old female reported a man forced entry into her home and forcibly raped her. The suspect then fled the location. The victim was transported to Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits where a sexual assault examination was conducted and biological evidence obtained.
Even though the attack happened in darkness the female victim was convinced, due to physical characteristics she noted during the assault, that her attacker was Marcus Caldwell, 27 years of age, also living in the Willits area. Caldwell was known to the victim prior to the assault.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Detectives were called out to respond and conduct further investigation. It was discovered the suspect cut the power to the house prior to making entry. Caldwell was later contacted and he denied being involved in the attack. Caldwell volunteered his DNA sample to detectives, indicating the sample would clear him of any wrong doing.
On 10/24/2018 Sheriff’s Detectives were notified by the California Department of Justice Laboratory the DNA comparison had been completed and the results were matched to that of suspect Marcus Caldwell. The case was reviewed by the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office and a warrant issued for the arrest of Caldwell.
On 10/26/2018 Sheriff’s Detectives located Caldwell while he was working in Anderson Valley and he was taken into custody on one count of forcible rape. He was lodged into the Mendocino County jail with bail being set at $500,000.
Caldwell was arraigned in the Mendocino County Superior Court on 10/30/2018 where his bail was continued at $500,000 and a no-contact restraining order was issued by Judge Moorman prohibiting Caldwell from having any contact with the victim in this case.
Approved by: Lieutenant Shannon Barney