The death of an 87-year-man found dead inside a Shingletown home on June 5 has been ruled a homicide, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said.
Sheriff’s deputies said they’d been asked to conduct a welfare check because the elderly man, Thomas Anthony Cuneo, had not been seen for several weeks.
Deputies responding to the 7100 block of Kaysie Rae Court found Cuneo’s body inside the home.
“Circumstances at the scene, including evidence of significant trauma, indicated the death was the result of a homicide,” according to a statement released on June 15 by the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff’s office detectives and investigative technicians responded and processed the scene. During the investigation, detectives said they determined that Cuneo lived at the house with his 28-year-old live-in caregiver, Jordan Newton Moore.
Based on witness statements, Moore had not been seen at the house for several weeks and Thomas’ vehicle was missing, authorities said.
An autopsy conducted on June 12 determined the victim suffered numerous stab wounds. The coroner’s office ruled the cause of death a homicide.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant on suspicion of first-degree murder for Jordan Moore on June 12. The sheriff’s office said authorities located Moore and arrested him in Marina, California on June 14, with the assistance of the Marina Police Department.
As of early Tuesday morning, Moore remained booked in the Monterey County Jail pending extradition to Shasta County.
The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 530-245-6135 or by email MCU@shastacounty.gov.
Michele Chandler covers public safety, reports on trials happening in Shasta County Superior Court, writes about restaurants and handles whatever else comes up for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Accepts story tips at 530-338-7753 and at mrchandler@gannett.com. Please support our entire newsroom’s commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Caregiver arrested after man, 87, stabbed to death in Shasta County
Reporting by Michele Chandler, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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By Michele Chandler, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
