On March 29, 2023, at approximately 4:34 AM, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office received a report of an adult male in need of emergency medical assistance on Tabor Lane in Covelo, California. First responders, including the Round Valley Tribal Police Department, arrived to find 20-year-old Nicholas Shehli Whipple of Redwood Valley lying unresponsive in the roadway. Despite immediate CPR efforts, Whipple was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial observations suggested he had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, though the extent of his injuries indicated he had also been severely beaten.
A forensic autopsy conducted on March 30 confirmed that Whipple died from a gunshot wound to the torso. The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force, the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office, and the California Department of Justice, launched a homicide investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding Whipple's death.
By early April, investigators identified 33-year-old Covelo resident Lee Anthony Joaquin as the primary suspect in Whipple's murder. Joaquin, known to be armed and dangerous, had a criminal history including charges of battery, domestic violence, illegal firearm possession, and involvement in violent incidents within the community. A multi-jurisdictional manhunt ensued, with law enforcement agencies seeking public assistance to locate and apprehend him.
On April 26, 2023, nearly a month after the homicide, the California Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle near Nelson Ranch Road between Ukiah and Hopland. The driver provided a false name but was arrested for possession of a firearm and transportation of marijuana. Upon arrival at the Mendocino County Jail, corrections staff recognized the individual as Lee Anthony Joaquin. He was subsequently booked on charges including murder, false identification to a peace officer, transportation and possession of marijuana for sale, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In the wake of Whipple's death, his family and the Round Valley Indian Tribes actively sought justice. They offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to Joaquin's capture and prosecution, highlighting the ongoing crisis of violence within their community. The family's grief was compounded by previous tragedies, having lost other relatives to violence in recent years.
The arrest of Joaquin brought a measure of relief to the community, though the investigation into Whipple's murder continued. Authorities encouraged anyone with further information to come forward to aid in the prosecution and to address the broader issues of violence affecting the area.
