No foul play in death of fall victim

An autopsy Monday showed that injuries suffered by a young man who was found dead at the Sonoma Coast were consistent with a fall, a Sonoma County sheriff’s sergeant, said Monday afternoon.

Jeffery Martin Kessler, 24, was climbing up a rocky cliffside in the dark, carrying two rifles, when he fell to the rocks below, said Sgt. Tim Duke Monday.

His body was found early Saturday in a cove north of Jenner.

One friend, Joe Browder, who’d heard him yell for help, attempted to get to him, Duke said. But Kessler had fallen before help arrived.

Browder found him down in the cove and tried CPR but couldn’t revive him, Duke said.

During the investigation, deputies found more than 100 rounds of spent ammunition and later, seven guns hidden in brush in the area.

The death was investigated as suspicious because of the rifles and ammunition and because no one had seen him fall.

A records search of the guns, mostly rare hunting rifles, showed they belonged to a Santa Rosa resident and had been stolen Thursday night, Duke said.

Browder, 24 of Santa Rosa was arrested Saturday on suspicion of grand theft of guns, possession of stolen property and probation violation. He was booked into Sonoma County Jail.

An eighth rifle was found Saturday at a homeless camp used by Kessler, Duke said.

Through interviews, detectives determined that Browder, Kessler and two young women went to the coast Friday night, took the guns down to the cove and at least three of them fired more than 100 rounds.

At some point Kessler took two of the rifles and some ammo and headed off toward another cove and up a steep bluff. The other three headed up to the roadway where their car was parked.