Crescent City man booked on murder charge after fatal Fort Dick shooting

A 25-year-old man died and a Crescent City man is in custody after a shooting early Saturday, Oct. 17, in the Fort Dick area, the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies responded at about 4:56 a.m. Saturday to a report of a gunshot wound in the 1500 block of Morehead Road, where they found Merrick Goodman, 25, injured. Goodman was taken to Sutter Coast Hospital, where he died of his injuries, according to Undersheriff Devin Perry, who spoke with Redwood Voice Community News on Monday.

Deputies arrested Joshua Janssen, 25, of Crescent City. He was booked into the Del Norte County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder, Perry said.

The Sheriff’s Office has not said what led to the shooting or whether the two men knew each other. “As this remains an ongoing investigation, additional details are limited at this time,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Saturday. “Further information will be released as the investigation progresses and details become available.”

“The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement said. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic loss.”

A family friend, Gina DeWitt, has started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of Goodman’s burial and memorial service: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-merricks-burial-and-service

No court date had been announced as of Tuesday. Janssen has not entered a plea, and the charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.