Body found buried in pot farm

Lake County authorities are investigating reported links between a body found buried in a vast pot garden on the side of Cobb Mountain and a missing person case out of Santa Rosa.

The body, found partially decomposed in a gravesite in one of the growing areas, had not been positively identified as of Thursday afternoon, nor had its connection to the Santa Rosa case been confirmed, Lake County authorities said.

Santa Rosa Police tipped the Lake County Sheriff’s Department to the possible homicide on Tuesday, saying they had information the man had been killed in an illegal grow, sheriff’s Capt. James Bauman said.

Sheriff’s detectives did indeed discover a large marijuana growing operation of some 20,000 plants in rugged terrain near Highway 175 south of Socrates Mine Road, authorities said.

They also confronted several suspects they believed to be armed, Bauman said.

The suspects dispersed immediately into the woods, prompting a nightlong search throughout the area conducted by members of the sheriff’s SWAT team with air support by the CHP.

A mobile incident command post set up in the area got word about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday of two men running down Highway 175, Bauman said.

They were detained, and a 9mm handgun one man is suspected of throwing onto the road at the time of his apprehension was recovered, authorities said.

The two men eventually owned up to knowing about the garden and the alleged homicide, and one agreed to lead detectives to a body, Bauman said.

It was located late Wednesday afternoon in a grave in one of the growing areas, along with a sawed-off shotgun, authorities said.

Evidence collection and destruction of the pot plants continued Wednesday with the cooperation of the state Department of Justice Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, or CAMP, authorities said.

Lake County detectives are still investigating the suspected homicide, however, and did not release information publicly until late Thursday afternoon.

Bauman said authorities were withholding the names of the suspects because the release of the names could jeopardize the continuing investigation. He said detectives also were unsure of the extent of their involvement, if any, in the alleged homicide.

The two men were arrested for suspected cultivation of marijuana and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, authorities said.