MENDOCINO CO., 5/17/25 – A man’s body was found on a cannabis farm in rural Mendocino County Friday morning, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said.
The sheriff’s office was contacted on Thursday by the owner of a property in the 68000 block of Bell Springs Road in rural Mendocino County.
The property owner told the sheriff’s office that she heard second-hand that a man who lives and works on her property may have been murdered. She was unable to get ahold of the worker. The last time anyone had spoken to him was on May 5.
According to the sheriff’s office, the property owner drove from her home in Texas to meet deputies to conduct a welfare check on the worker.
Deputies searched the over 100-acre property, which operates as a cannabis farm.
As night approached, deputies searched a hilly area near a home on the property.
During the search, they found human remains. Deputies reported that the body appeared to be intentionally hidden by foliage and debris.
On Friday morning, search and rescue teams continued to search the property and recovered the remains.
The body was determined to be that of a man, the Sheriff’s Office said. And while the remains were determined to be consistent with the gender and ethnicity of the property worker reported missing, investigators were unable issue a positive identification due to the condition of the remains.
According to the sheriff’s office, the case is being investigated as a homicide. A coroner’s examination has been scheduled.
The investigation was ongoing as of Saturday. Anyone with any information is asked to call the sheriff’s office communications center at (707) 463-4086 or the anonymous non-emergency tip line at (707) 234-2100.