Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell

In the early morning hours of 27 October 2006, Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office told dispatchers that he was pulling over a white Chevy van off of rural Highway 16. Seven minutes later, his radio “keyed,” a common sign of distress. After failing to respond to calls, the dispatcher would put out a Call 3: sending other officers to Deputy Mitchell’s location with lights and sirens…

Sloughhouse is an unincorporated community in Sacramento County, California, located roughly twenty miles southeast of Sacramento itself. The community is known for its lush, white cornfields, as well as its warm summer climate... but honestly, not much else.

For many, Sloughhouse is the type of place you generally only drive through. But in October 2006, just days before Halloween, it became the site of an expansive police investigation that began to spread throughout the entire area... a show of force only ever seen when one specific thing happens.

The death of a police officer.

This is the story of Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell.

Jeffrey Vaughn Mitchell was born on May 28th, 1968, in Campbell, California, a suburb of San Jose. Before graduating from Westmont High School in 1986, Jeff became known as someone who was always smiling. In fact, many over several years would recall his smile, with longtime friend, Doug Thurmond, who met Jeff in eighth grade, later recalling:

"Mitch was basically a friend to everybody. Most of us have to think of a reason to smile - for him everything was a reason to smile."

After graduating, Jeff enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, becoming a security officer for the next five years. Terrell Jones, a fellow airman that would become another good friend of Jeff's, serving as the best man in his wedding, later told the Sacramento Bee in 2006 about Jeff's time in the Air Force:

"He always gave everyone the benefit of the doubt and always had that smile."

After his discharge from the military, Jeff returned to education, attending California State University (Sacramento), where he ultimately obtained a teaching degree. While there, he also met his future wife, Crystal. The two wed in 1995, and at around the same time, Jeff began working as a substitute teacher.

Roughly two years later, though, Jeff began to make an abrupt career change. He began working for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, but as a recreation technician who oversaw the physical education program for inmates at Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove. He'd hold down that position for a few years before making the biggest transition yet: becoming a full-time officer for the sheriff's office in 2000. This decision shocked many of his friends and family members, with his sister, Kim Garvasoni, later telling the Sacramento Bee:

"We were all a little shocked when he went into the military and a little shocked when he became a police officer. We always pictured him as a teacher or a coach, because he always had such a good heart."

But despite transitioning over into police work, Jeff remained mostly-unchanged. In fact, he seemed to be a good influence on those he worked with, with Detective Chris Joachim later telling the same publication:

"He was the kind of rare person you meet in your life that when you're around him, he makes you want to be a better person... With other people, that might sound like a cliche. With Jeff, it's the truth."

The same year that he became a police officer, Crystal gave birth to the couple's first and only child together, Jake.

In 2002, Jeff moved to patrol duty, focusing exclusively on rural areas in Sacramento County, work that he preferred because it allowed him to engage in more community policing than a normal deputy role would. This was the type of personable police work that Jeff seemed tailor-made for; the type that he believed was more effective at deterring crime. And those he encountered seemed to agree, with very few having an issue with Jeff or the way he handled things on his night shifts.

Jeff preferred to work overnights because it allowed him to spend his days with his family. By 2006, Crystal and he were still married, and while she found work as a state attorney, Jeff working nights allowed him to pick up Jake from school and spend time with him. Crystal later told the Sacramento Bee:

"He was everything as a person you'd hope a dad would be. He taught Jake how to be a good person and a kind person, and he made sure there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't spend time with us."

With his schedule, Jeff enjoyed being able to have dinner with his family and help tuck Jake into bed before heading out on his patrols, which were normally uneventful... until one tragic night in October, which was anything but.

On the morning of Friday, October 27, 2006, things were calm throughout Sacramento County. The first several hours of Deputy Jeff Mitchell's shift passed by without any excitement of any kind. But at 3:27 AM, he typed a message to dispatchers through his computer system, informing them that he'd come upon a white Chevy van off Highway 16 with no rear license plate. He gave this brief description of the van along with an approximate location - near the intersection of Meiss and Dillard Roads, just south of Jackson Highway - and told the dispatcher that there seemed to be a single occupant inside. Moments later, he'd indicate that he was "OK."

Seven minutes passed, during which no response was given by Deputy Mitchell. That is, until his radio "keyed" a couple of times: a clicking noise sent to dispatchers to indicate that something was wrong. That happened at around 3:34 AM.

The dispatcher would attempt to rouse Deputy Mitchell through his radio to no avail. They then tried calling his cell phone. Again, no response. After failing to do those, the dispatcher would put out a Call 3 on the radio, sending other officers to Deputy Mitchell's last known location with lights and sirens.

Roughly ten minutes later, police began arriving at the location Deputy Mitchell had described in his original message, which was essentially in the middle of nowhere. There, they discovered their fallen comrade lying on the ground near his vehicle, his gun unholstered. He'd been shot once in the head. As they would soon learn, he'd been shot with his own service weapon.

At 3:59, paramedics arrived at the scene, where they attempted to stabilize Jeff before transporting him to the nearby UC Davis Medical Center, where at 4:45 AM he was pronounced dead.

That morning, Jeff's wife Crystal was woken up by a loud knocking at the door. Opening it, she was greeted by the sight that every spouse of a police officer or first responder fears to see: a group of officers. As she later recalled to ABC 10:

"There was a bunch of uniformed people out there and my eyes caught the name chaplain. And right away I knew."

She was rushed to the hospital to join her husband, who at that point was believed to be dead (or dying). Along the way, she saw multiple highway signs along the side of the road carrying the same message:

"OFFICER SHOT. WHITE CHEVY VAN. NO PLATE."

After getting to see Jeff's body, she was handed his badge, which on the back was a laminated picture of herself and the couple's six-year-old son. Afterward, she'd have to return home and figure out how to tell Jake that his dad wasn't going to be coming home. As she explained to CBS 13:

"He didn't understand why the doctors couldn't just put a band aid on him and fix him like his daddy had fixed his wounds, his scrapes."

In the hours to come, the area off Meiss and Dillard Roads became a hotbed of police, with law enforcement from all around the region converging upon this rural area of Sacramento County. This included not just members of the local sheriff's office, but also members of the California Highway Patrol and the FBI, who helped disseminate the information gathered in the search for Deputy Jeff Mitchell's killer. They all spread over approximately 500 square miles, displaying info about the white van described by Mitchell on freeway signs, and even began pulling over vehicles that matched the description.

Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness told reporters:

"The single priority is to bring this person to justice."

Officials throughout the region joined in the effort to raise publicity for the case, with then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announcing a $100,000 reward for information resulting in the arrest and conviction of any suspect(s).

Meanwhile, at the scene, investigators had identified signs of a "significant struggle" between Deputy Mitchell and his killer(s), with Sheriff McGinness stating:

"There was significant evidence of trauma on the officer's person."

It was believed that a hand-to-hand struggle had taken place between Jeff and his killer(s), and during that struggle, his service weapon had been taken and used against him. It was unknown if his radio had keyed on purpose, either to indicate to dispatchers that he was in danger, or if it happened accidentally, because of the struggle itself. His body had been found near the rear bumper of his vehicle and his handcuffs had been taken out, indicating that he might have been attempting to apprehend a suspect at the time. Per Sheriff McGinness:

"This may be a hunch, and we may never have the answer, but it is my belief there was something that heightened (Mitchell's) response because it does look like he had begun to handcuff (a suspect)."

Detectives would also note damage to a nearby fence gate, where they believed the white van described by Deputy Mitchell might have run or bumped into it. If so, there might be some damage to the front end of the van, which would be incorporated into possible matches. Later, they'd rule out this fence damage having any relation to the crime itself, but in those early hours, it informed a lot of their decisions regarding which vans they chose to narrow in on.

Authorities would continue to highlight information about the white Chevy van in local news and radio broadcasts in hopes of identifying a suspect vehicle.

Later that afternoon, just hours after the shooting death of Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell, officers began converging at a secondary location. This was at the Cosumnes River at Gold Rush Park, roughly twenty miles from where Jeff had been slain. There, a couple had called in a suspicious vehicle in the most unlikely of places.

As police began arriving at the location, they discovered what the witnesses had described to them: a white van matching the one described by Deputy Mitchell before his death. The front license plate was bent in a way that made it unreadable, and most incredulously, it had been found in the river itself, just outside of Plymouth, California. To officers at the scene, it appeared that the van had been deliberately driven into the shallow water from nearby Highway 49.

In the eeriest note of this discovery, however, police would describe finding two bodies inside the van. One was believed to be a white man in his mid-40s, who was found sitting in the driver's seat. The other was described as a white woman in her early 30s, who was found curled up in the back. Strangely, neither showed obvious signs of trauma.

Authorities would later identify the two deceased as 43-year-old Allan E. Shubert and 28-year-old Nicole Ann Welch, who police insisted from the beginning didn't play a part in Deputy Mitchell's death. Both were known to have some level of involvement in the drug world, but Shubert was no stranger to law enforcement. The 43-year-old had been charged with various crimes over the prior decade, including drug possession, vandalism, and DUI. In fact, he was due in court that Friday for a charge of driving without a driver's license. However, none of his offenses were violent in nature, and those that knew him didn't believe him capable of harming a police officer, let alone overpowering and killing one.

While many have speculated about the two being involved in the death of Deputy Mitchell, police have claimed from the discovery of the van that they did not believe either Shubert or Welch had been involved in the death of Jeff Mitchell. Per a statement by Sheriff John McGinness:

"Candidly, in my opinion, we can't make that link. The biggest thing is the body. My hope and belief was that we'd find some trauma indicating that he (Shubert) fought with our deputy. But there was none."

Instead of showing any sign of trauma to the bodies of Allan Shubert or Nicole Welch, an autopsy found that both had died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Investigators speculated that that had happened after their vehicle's tailpipe had flooded while they attempted to ford the shallow Cosumnes River. But other than how they died, there was no single mark on either of their hands or faces that would indicate a struggle with Detective Mitchell.

As the police would later learn, Allan Shubert lived out of the white van he was found in, which was full of tools he used for mechanic work. He didn't have a single set place for employment, but rather, seemed to take odd jobs here and there. He'd reportedly left for "Indian Country" (his words) on Thursday, October 26th, and had taken Nicole Welch with him, who was seeking a ride to visit friends in the region. However, after leaving that Thursday, their bodies were found in the van on Friday afternoon, having died mysteriously of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Sadly, the identification and autopsy of these two individuals left the police no closer to finding answers. In fact, now they seemed even further away, with them believing that the two cases might be linked but having no idea how they fit together. Authorities theorized that Allan Shubert and Nicole Welch had died before Deputy Mitchell had been shot and killed, but if that was the case, they didn't know how the series of events worked. And they didn't know what connected the three individuals - if they even were connected. Per Sheriff McGinness:

"These people were not model citizens, but I don't want to have their legacy associated with the death of a deputy sheriff."

Police would initially state that there was no evidence linking Allan Shubert's white van to the vehicle described by Deputy Mitchell in the early morning hours of October 27th, with Sheriff McGinness telling reporters on October 29th:

"There was nothing, nothing whatsoever to link it to our officer."

Sheriff McGinness described the vehicle and the timing of its discovery to be nothing more than "an enormous coincidence." Investigators initially speculated that Shubert and Welch had died attempting to ford the river, with the tailpipe becoming flooded and carbon monoxide building up inside the van, ultimately putting them to sleep and killing them. But over time, it seems like authorities have wavered on that belief, indicating in more recent years that there still might be some kind of connection.

To this day, it is unknown if the van containing Allan Shubert's and Nicole Welch's bodies was linked in any way to the death of Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell. As I touched on a moment ago, police early seemed to point to there being no connection. But that has softened over the years, with police giving some more vague statements... however, that's something we'll get to in just a bit.

Roughly one week after the death of Deputy Jeff Mitchell, a memorial service took place at Raley Field (now Sutter Health Park), the same stadium that has been home to the Sacramento River Cats and is now going to house the Athletics. There, a ceremony took place including several tributes to Jeff, including a 21-gun salute, bagpipes, and a horse with no rider. It was attended by several VIPs in the region, including then-Governor Schwarzenegger, who paid his respects to the fallen officer and his family.

During the ceremony, many police officers spoke, as did loved ones of Jeff. His father-in-law read a letter from Jeff's wife, Crystal, which she'd written shortly after his death. It read, in part:

"I loved every minute of our lives. I'll never stop loving you, and I'll continue to raise our son so he can be the kind of man his father was. I miss you, Jeff, and my heart aches without you. But I feel your strength. Jake and I feel your love, and that will get us through."

In November 2006, a little over a week after Jeff Mitchell's death, authorities provided pictures of a potential witness to the press. This was a middle-aged (or slightly older) white man seen at a Circle K gas station market roughly an hour after Jeff had been shot and killed. The Circle K was located on Grant Line Road, roughly ten miles southwest of where Jeff had been shot and killed. Sacramento County spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran told reporters:

"He appears to be a middle-age or older white male, and possibly drives a red-and-white, full-size pickup truck. He may be a resident of the region and possibly frequent businesses in the area."

It's believed that the man had been in the company of a woman that morning, who was also in the Circle K and was reportedly acting very suspiciously, raising the eyebrows of both staff and customers. Again, per Sgt. Curran:

"They asked her if she needed help, if she wanted them to call the police, and she said, 'No, no.'"

Both the man and woman were apparently located and questioned by police, corroborating what each other said. But it has never been clarified what exactly they might have witnessed, or what exactly the woman was saying or doing to garner that type of response. However, at the same time authorities announced they were seeking this man, they announced that a man had been seen washing blood from his face just across the street, at a Chevron gas station. Strangely enough, that same witness claims to have seen a man with a bloody face at the freight entrance of the Dillard General Store, but it's unknown if the two men were one in the same.

In the weeks to come, authorities struggled to determine where to take their investigation, receiving more than 3000 tips from the public. This information led them as far away as Reno but was ultimately unsuccessful in tracking down any suspects. Nor were the police able to identify which van Deputy Mitchell had described to dispatchers: a white Chevy van without a rear license plate.

During this period, it was reported that the authorities had recovered DNA from a "very intimate" location near Jeff's body, but that location was never specified. Later, authorities would admit that this DNA sample was too small to build a full genetic profile from, which meant that it could likely only be used to compare to a specific suspect - not enough to submit to a national forensic database.

By the end of 2006, authorities were sadly no closer to finding Jeff's killer than they had been in October but insisted that they were far from giving up. Sgt. Tim Curran, the sheriff's spokesperson, told the Sacramento Bee:

"They still believe they will ultimately find the person or persons who are responsible for this crime. It just may take awhile."

A couple of months later, in February 2007, police revealed that they'd found partial fingerprints at the scene, which they claimed had been found on a "key item" at the scene, but when submitted to national databases had come back with no matches. To that, Sheriff McGinness would state:

"This suggests a high probability that the donor of the prints is not somebody in the criminal justice system, and that in itself is significant. We have consistently gotten tips that the killer is from another country... That is consistent with the lack of a fingerprint match. We have to take seriously the possibility that he's hiding across the border.

"We remain optimistic to the point of confidence, frankly, that we will solve this case eventually. We also remain vigilant."

In the months after the sudden and violent death of Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell, the investigation into the case stagnated.

Despite the case attracting a lot of attention early on - due almost entirely to its nature as one of the few unsolved cop slayings in America - that attention began to fade within a few short months. In fact, a thorough search of newspaper archives found a lot of articles in the first year or so of the incident, but only a handful that followed. When you look up the case online, you'll find a few legitimate news articles and a few podcasts, but... that's about it. In fact, most of the newspaper results after 2008 or so were just annual remembrances arranged by the Bruce Verhoeven Foundation. 

In 2013, seven years after the incident, authorities raised hope that the DNA sample of a potential suspect recovered from the crime scene could be re-analyzed. With advancements in DNA technology since 2006, investigators hope that this partial DNA sample could be re-tested and possibly submitted to a national forensic database. However, with there being no follow-up on that in the years since, we can presume it was unsuccessful.

At around that time, authorities continued to publicly speculate about the white van found in the Cosumnes River, containing the bodies of Allan Shubert and Nicole Welch, who'd both died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Investigators theorized that they may have been inside the van when it was pulled over by Deputy Mitchell, but not necessarily driving it. The prevailing theory seemed to center around them already being deceased at the time, which - if we follow this logic - may have been noticed by Deputy Mitchell, who then attempted to apprehend the driver. Sgt. Jim Barnes, who oversaw the homicide division for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, stated:

"There's no coincidence that the van ended up in the river right after the incident with Jeff."

To this day, authorities continue to believe that the van belonging to Allan Shubert was somehow involved in Deputy Jeff Mitchell's last stop. However, they do not believe that either Shubert or the other known occupant of the van, Nicole Welch, had any involvement in Mitchell's death as their bodies showed no sign of trauma or involvement. Rather, it is believed that they'd been killed beforehand, and the van later abandoned in the Cosumnes River. Per Sgt. Tony Turnbull, who told ABC 10 in 2020:

"That's one of the theories, that Allan and Nicole were already deceased, and whoever was here with them [was] trying to get rid of the bodies. At that point in time, they (the killer or killers) didn't want to be found when they died."

Because of the rural location of this crime, far outside of Sacramento itself, authorities have long speculated that the killer of Jeff Mitchell was a local... someone who spent a lot of time in this region. After all, it seems unlikely that anyone would have been out there at 3:30 AM unless they had a reason to be, and as we just touched on a moment ago, authorities continue to believe that the van belonging to Allan Shubert was involved in some way. Perhaps with someone else behind the wheel, while Shubert and Welch lay deceased inside.

Those that had known Shubert and Welch recall the latter getting a ride from Allan Shubert to go and visit some friends in Jackson, California that Thursday. This was a small town not too far away from where the crime took place, and even closer to where the van was found in the Cosumnes River. I can only assume that detectives looked into exactly who these "friends" were during the course of their investigation.

While I hate to cast any aspersions on anyone, let alone the deceased, both Allan Shubert and Nicole Welch had prior connections to the world of methamphetamine. With this region - a rural area outside of Sacramento - being a bit of a hotbed for meth manufacturing, it remains a possibility that this is what the two of them went out there for.

Police have remained pretty mum about what evidence was recovered in the van itself, but it wouldn't be the craziest thing in the world to assume that there was some indication fo drug use or manufacturing inside of it. Perhaps it hadn’t even been put in there by Shubert or Welch, but by a third person that wanted to use the van to create or distribute meth. During this process, Shubert and Welch ended up inadvertently dying of carbon monoxide poisoning, leading to the other person(s) involved wanting to get rid of evidence. In doing so, might they have encountered Deputy Mitchell, who - seeing the two bodies in the back - wanted to take them into custody?

Based on what authorities have told the public, it seems like Mitchell had been in the process of detaining the driver of a white van when a literally fight for life or death followed. If we assume the person on the other end had been driving a drug van containing two bodies (Allan Shubert and Nicole Welch), they'd be looking at spending the rest of their lives in prison... giving them more than enough reason to resist Deputy Mitchell and reach for his firearm.

Afterward, perhaps this person drove the van to the area where it was later abandoned and attempted to scrub it clean of evidence. Perhaps removing any drug paraphernalia. Maybe they even contacted others to help them clear it out, which police have hinted at over the years, with the lead detective on the case, Tony Turnbull, telling CBS 13 in 2011:

"I strongly believe there is more than one person involved... We have caught people in a web of lies."

The van belonging to Allan Shubert was found in the shallow waters of the Cosumnes River. Even if we follow the separate theory that the two inside of it were killed while attempting to ford the river and died of carbon monoxide poisoning then and there, we can presume that they were headed to a rural area on the other side of the water, which was just downstream of the Gold Beach mobile home park. This was an area that was not the best place to live, as noted by some of its residents, with many of their neighbors at the time struggling with issues pertaining to drugs.

For these reasons, it's still believed that whoever committed this crime was someone familiar with the area, who may or may not have had a direct connection to the region's meth trade. However, because of so much uncertainty in this case, that remains just a prominent theory.

Before we wrap up this episode, I'd like to touch upon another theory I've found in certain dark corners of the internet, which I'm not certain I put any credence in, but I'd feel remiss not mentioning. This theory centers around the belief that Deputy Jeff Mitchell may have taken his own life back in October 2006 and focuses on the fact that he was killed by his own service weapon. This theory also claims that the evidence of him fighting for his life at the scene has been exaggerated by fellow law enforcement, for reasons that aren't well-explained.

Just to clarify before we continue: this isn't a theory I subscribe to. But I do want to at least address it. And to do so, we need to go back in time to the weeks before Jeff's death.

On October 16th, 2006 - nearly two weeks before he died - Jeff Mitchell had been arrested. A police report filed by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office detailed the incident, in which that afternoon, Jeff walked into a Raley's store, a Sacramento-based grocery store chain, and shoplifted a $40 pair of electric hair clippers. On the way out, he was confronted by a member of the store's loss prevention team, but he continued walking out to his truck and drove away. That employee wrote down his license plate number and contacted the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, who showed up and took the report. They were also provided surveillance footage of the shoplifting incident, which showed a bald white man grabbing the clippers and walking out of the store without paying. When deputies looked up the license plate, they saw that the truck belonged to local resident Jeff Mitchell, a deputy with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.

Later that evening, a pair of deputies went to Jeff's home and spoke to him, with Jeff admitting that he'd stolen the clippers but couldn't explain why. In their summary, the El Dorado deputies wrote:

"Mitchell went to Raley's to get some razor blades for shaving. While he was in the store, he saw the haircutting kit and decided to take it without paying. Mitchell kept saying he did not know what he was thinking and did not know why he stole the item. Mitchell stated he had the money to pay for the item, but again, he did not know why he decided to not pay for the item. Mitchell stated he did not know why he did not take the razor blades he was originally in the store to get. He stated he didn't know what he was doing or why he was doing it. Mitchell indicated to me he had made a mistake and it would not happen again."

Afterward, Jeff had been issued a citation to appear in court on a charge of petty theft, which as we now know, never happened, because on October 27th, he was shot and killed in the line of duty.

I only added all this context because it's necessary when we explore the theory that Jeff may have taken his own life that fateful morning. Those that subscribe to this theory point to this arrest for petty theft and believe that it was going to derail his career as a police officer, possibly end it for good. They believe that if he'd been charged with a crime, his time as a Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy would have come to an end, and with it, the possibility of him working in law enforcement - losing his career in abject humiliation. But before that could happen, they theorize, he decided to stage an encounter with an unknown person and take his own life, so that he could maintain not only his legacy - that of a hard-working, dedicated cop - but retirement benefits for his wife and son.

As I mentioned at the top of this segment, this isn't a theory that I necessarily believe in. I think the idea that Jeff would have been blackballed from law enforcement for (accidentally or intentionally) shoplifting a $40 pair of clippers is an overly optimistic view of what it takes for a law enforcement career to get shuttered in the modern era. I know that 2006 was a different time, but it's impossible to make that judgment for good.

Regardless, I only mention this theory because the death of Deputy Jeff Mitchell remains unsolved to this day, and it's hard for me to eliminate any theory, no matter how much I believe in it or not. Until detectives come forward with real, tangible information pointing to a culprit, this theory remains just as valid as the rest.

One thing I'd like to touch on before we go is that while this episode has been centered on Deputy Jeff Mitchell, there remains another mystery permanently tied to it: the deaths of Allan Shubert and Nicole Welch, which we've explored throughout.

Over the years, most of the press coverage has been focused on Deputy Mitchell. But Shubert and Welch have been seemingly cast as accessories to his death... whose stories seemingly run parallel to the fallen officer but are somehow less worthy of attention. Seeing the title of the episode, it's hard not to say that I'm responsible of the same exact thing.

Investigators have emphasized since early on that both Allan Shubert and Nicole Welch were not involved in the death of Deputy Mitchell. That is something that has not changed over time, even while the belief that the van they were in has. In the first weeks of the investigation, officials seemed to brush off any suggestion that the van was the same one pulled over by Deputy Mitchell in the early morning hours of October 27, 2006. But over time, that has changed. Now police seem to think that this was the suspect van spotted by Deputy Mitchell, but that Shubert and Welch were already deceased.

If that was the case, then they too are victims of the same killer(s) as Jeff Mitchell.

During my digging, I found a Reddit comment from a user called /u/Impressive-Ad6564. Their account was created in October 2021 and they made one comment on a post about this very story, in which they wrote:

"I understand that it is sad that a cop was shot and killed but there were 2 other victims involved, one being my stepdad and nobody really talks about how he was murdered and there is someone responsible still at large. The whole case is focused on the cop. My stepdad may not have been the greatest human on earth and has made mistakes but he had family that loved him and so did the girl he was with. We want answers as to who killed them just as much as the family of the officer."

In the years since Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell's 2006 death, the location where it took place has become immortalized. In fact, if you look up the Deputy Jeff Mitchell Memorial Site on Google Maps, you'll be able to find the exact location where this crime took place... a place that has since become hallowed ground to many, including Jeff's loved ones and fellow officers, who continue to pay tribute to him regularly. One of his coworkers, Deputy Mike Baer, told the Sacramento Bee in 2006:

"Where Jeff was murdered, it will become a very special place. It's kind of like 9/11 to us... where something terrible, terrible happened.

"When Jeff died, a little piece of us died."

Jeff's family, understandably, has struggled since his death. Especially with it remaining unsolved after such a long period of time. His mother, Mary Kay Mitchell, told reporters in November of 2006, just three weeks after his death:

"Nobody forgets about this. We have to keep this in the public's mind - that's how this person is going to be caught."

His wife, Crystal, would tell the public on the six-month mark of the case, in May 2007:

"I really can't go forward in my grieving process because I know there is a significant piece of this that is unresolved. It is like a wound that is left open... Jeff always told Jake that bad guys go to jail for their bad deeds. I want him to have faith in that."

Crystal has spoken to reporters sporadically over the years and has told them that she focused on living out each day for her son and herself, since she knew that's what Jeff would want them to do: just focus on making the best of each day. But she has continued to fight and advocate for Jeff, telling CBS 13 in 2011:

"As long as this murder is unsolved, I will fight for him."

Crystal has since remarried but remains dedicated to her role as a surviving spouse, serving as a friend, mentor, and role model for others that have endured similar traumas, telling ABC 10 in 2020:

"Whatever I can do to make it a little bit easier for somebody else who was in my situation or felt the way I did, that helps me. That's where I get my strength."

In that same interview, she also stated:

"The most important thing in the world is having that killer or killers pay for what they did."

If anyone out there knows anything about this case, please reach out to the authorities. You can call the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office at (916) 874-5057 or email them at homicide@sacsheriff.com. You can also submit tips to the FBI through their website, tips.fbi.gov.

As of this episode's recording, the stories of Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell, Allan Shubert, and Nicole Welch remain unresolved.

Episode Information

Episode Information

Writing, research, hosting, and production by Micheal Whelan

Published on February 16, 2025

Music Credits

Original music created by Micheal Whelan

Outro/theme music created and composed by Ailsa Traves

Sources and Other Reading

Online Articles & Web Sources

1. Find A Grave. (n.d.). Jeff Vaughn Mitchell (1972–2006) - Memorial. Retrieved from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238696800/jeff-vaughn-mitchell

2. Google Maps. (n.d.). Deputy Jeff Mitchell Memorial Site. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/place/Deputy+Jeff+Mitchell+Memorial+Site/

3. Sacramento Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. (n.d.). Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell - The Fallen. Retrieved from https://www.sacramentodsa.com/the-fallen/deputy-jeffrey-mitchell/

4. CBS News. (n.d.). Wife of murdered deputy speaks out. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/wife-of-murdered-deputy-speaks-out/

5. ABC10. (n.d.). Unsolved California: Who killed Sacramento Co. Sheriff Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell? Retrieved from https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/unsolved-california-who-killed-sacramento-co-sheriff-deputy-jeffrey-mitchell/103-749ae7ae-ad48-44ca-a27f-62eeeb8c81b6

6. ABC10. (n.d.). Unsolved California: Wife of murdered deputy shares her hope for justice and how she keeps Jeffrey Mitchell’s legacy alive. Retrieved from https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/unsolved-california-wife-of-murdered-deputy-shares-her-hope-for-justice-and-how-she-keeps-jeffrey-mitchells-legacy-alive/103-9e1af8e8-984b-4c1a-b69f-ec7cc64b9e85

7. SFGATE. (n.d.). Unsolved: Jeffrey Mitchell murder still haunts Sacramento. Retrieved from https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/unsolved-jeffrey-mitchell-murder-sacramento-17382062.php

8. NorCal COPS Facebook. (n.d.). Post about Crystal Mitchell Graves. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/NORCALCOPS/posts/today-we-introduce-secretary-crystal-mitchell-graves-crystal-is-the-surviving-sp/10157319699563576/

9. El Dorado Hills Little League. (n.d.). Deputy Jeff Mitchell Field (JMF). Retrieved from https://www.edhll.com/page/show/2203005-deputy-jeff-mitchell-field-jmf-

10. El Dorado Hills CSD. (n.d.). Deputy Jeff Mitchell Field - William Brooks School Gym. Retrieved from https://www.eldoradohillscsd.org/programs_and_amp_activities/william_brooks_school_gym_deputy_jeff_mitchell_field.php

11. Google Maps. (n.d.). 38.556189, -120.846404 (Geographical location). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps?sca_esv=a38431949a6ac76a&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS968US968&output=search&q=38.556189,-120.846404

12. Corruption Exposer Blog. (2013). Corruption and Sacramento Sheriff's Office. Retrieved from https://corruptionexposer.blogspot.com/2013/10/corruption-and-sacramento-sheriffs.html

Discussion & Forum Sources

1. Reddit. (n.d.). The Sacramento County deaths. Retrieved from https://old.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/qgznrz/the_sacramento_county_deaths/

2. Reddit. (n.d.). A California deputy stopped a van with 2 corpses. Retrieved from https://old.reddit.com/r/Sacramento/comments/wtplhb/a_california_deputy_stopped_a_van_with_2_corpses/

3. Reddit. (n.d.). The Sacramento County deaths - Discussion thread. Retrieved from https://old.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/qgznrz/the_sacramento_county_deaths/iwb13mr/

Newspaper Articles

1. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649554054/

2. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631192523/

3. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631192539/

4. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631196359/

5. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631196601/

6. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631196584/

7. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649556254/

8. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631207414/

9. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631207718/

10. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631211301/

11. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631296480/

12. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631296499/

13. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649557375/

14. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631301545/

15. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631301578/

16. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631303950/

17. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631304128/

18. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649559845/

19. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649559848/

20. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631295544/

21. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631295669/

22. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649561363/

23. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649563549/

24. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649565307/

25. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631213333/

26. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649569190/

27. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649577467/

28. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649610240/

29. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/647445244/

30. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/647486587/

31. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/647509627/

32. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/647710909/

33. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/647741638/

34. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/631797313/

35. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/649403892/

36. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/647983988/

37. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/635254262/

38. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/638011572/

39. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/638050637/

40. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/637956019/

41. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/637955992/

42. The Sacramento Bee. (Date unknown). Article title. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/644063135/

YouTube Videos

1. Placer County Sheriff’s Office. (2017, October 27). Unsolved Homicide: Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEJINSvX_qU

2. ABC10. (2021, October 27). Unsolved California: Who killed Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD9mAWhlL5M&t=2s

3. CrimeDoor. (2023, October 27). The Murder of Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell - Unsolved Cold Case [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kurm7vUcMuc

4. FOX40 News. (2022, October 27). Sacramento County Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell’s Unsolved Case [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXSz7U4c_Hc

5. KCRA News. (2021, October 27). Remembering Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell: 15 Years Since His Murder [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS-TjtoJWLo

6. CBS Sacramento. (2022, October 27). Cold Case: Who Killed Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QdrNITf7Mc