On August 7, 2020, Scott Halliburton, a 40-year-old resident of Berry Creek, California, was found dead near the driveway of a home on Spence Way. The Butte County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call reporting a dispute at the location. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Halliburton had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. Witnesses at the scene identified Matthew Pia, a 51-year-old neighbor, as the shooter. According to the witnesses, Pia returned to his property after the incident and subsequently committed suicide. Deputies later found Pia deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on his property.
The investigation revealed that the altercation between Halliburton and Pia stemmed from a dispute over a property line. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage and interviewed witnesses, which led them to conclude that the confrontation escalated to the point where both men exchanged gunfire. Halliburton was shot and killed during the exchange, while Pia took his own life shortly after. The Butte County Sheriff's Office conducted a thorough search of both properties, uncovering large quantities of marijuana, numerous firearms, and a butane honey oil manufacturing lab.
The case was classified as a murder-suicide, with no additional suspects or arrests made. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Federal Investigations Unit, Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force, and the Department of Justice. Detectives continued to gather evidence and interview witnesses to piece together the events leading up to the tragic incident. The Sheriff's Office urged anyone with further information to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation.
