Angel Penn, a 19-year-old resident of Alturas, California, tragically lost her life on February 20, 2014, in a mass shooting at the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office. The incident occurred during a meeting about the eviction of Cherie Lash Rhoades, who had recently been ousted as the tribe's chairwoman. Rhoades, facing allegations of embezzling federal grants amounting to at least $50,000, opened fire during the meeting, killing four people, including Angel Penn, her niece. The other victims were Rhoades' brother, Rurik Davis, her nephew, Glenn Calonico, and Sheila Russo, a tribal administrator. Two additional individuals were injured but survived the attack.
The shooting was a result of escalating tensions within the Cedarville Rancheria tribe, exacerbated by Rhoades' financial misconduct and subsequent eviction. During the meeting, Rhoades used two semi-automatic pistols to carry out the attack. After exhausting her ammunition, she resorted to using a butcher knife to stab one of the victims. The violence only ceased when a witness, covered in blood, managed to escape and alert the authorities by running to the nearby Alturas Police Station. Upon arrival, the police found Rhoades outside the building, clutching a knife. She was quickly subdued and arrested.
Cherie Lash Rhoades was charged with multiple counts, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, child endangerment, and brandishing a weapon. The trial, held in Placer County, concluded with Rhoades being found guilty on all counts. The jury's decision came after just two hours of deliberation. In April 2017, Rhoades was sentenced to death, a verdict that was met with mixed emotions from the victims' families. While some found solace in the justice served, others expressed that no verdict could ever bring back their loved ones. The case highlighted the severe consequences of internal conflicts within small communities and the devastating impact of financial crimes on personal relationships and community trust.
