“This investigation has been ongoing since June 2022 and those who have pursued answers deserve to be commended. We extend our gratitude to all involved in identifying and arresting this suspect and for protecting the public.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
MENDOCINO COUNTY – On November 13, 2023, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office successfully located and took into custody Justin Bolton, 42, for the murder of Wendy Pullins in Mariposa County.
Earlier in the month, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the California Department of Justice Fugitive Apprehension Team regarding Bolton who was believed to be in Mendocino County. Bolton was a wanted fugitive out of Mariposa County related to an active homicide investigation.
On November 13th, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office determined Bolton was in Willits. At approximately 12:24 p.m., Bolton was seen entering the passenger side of a vehicle in Willits. The vehicle was followed and then intercepted by several members of the Mendocino County S.W.A.T. Team who conducted a high-risk enforcement stop.
The driver of the vehicle, later determined to be a family member of Bolton, exited after he was given verbal commands to do so. Bolton, seated in the passenger seat, was also given verbal commands to exit the vehicle but he refused to comply. Several more verbal commands to Bolton were given, which he ignored.
A Sheriff’s Office K9 was deployed into the vehicle to assist in taking Bolton into custody. Bolton had to be physically removed from the vehicle and was ultimately taken into custody without further incident.
Bolton was transported and booked into the Mendocino County Jail on a felony murder arrest warrant pending extradition to Mariposa County.
BACKGROUND – On October 6, 2023, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant in connection with the Wendy Pullins homicide case. Information the Sheriff’s Office received led to the discovery of the 2005 Subaru Outback investigators had been looking for. The vehicle is now at the California Department of Justice lab being processed for any forensic evidence related to the homicide.
On September 26, 2023, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office invited public assistance in solving what was first investigated as a missing persons case from June of 2022.
Wendy Pullins was last seen in Mariposa County on June 15, 2022. She was reported missing to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office on June 18, 2022.
On September 8, 2022, detectives with the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office located the Jeep Cherokee that was last known to be driven by Pullins. The vehicle was found down a steep embankment in a remote area of Mariposa County. The vehicle was sent to a California Department of Justice (DOJ) Forensic Laboratory to be processed for anything of evidentiary value. Forensic analysis done of blood located inside the vehicle was a positive match to Pullins’ DNA. Because of the amount of time that has passed since Pullins was reported missing, the condition of the vehicle and the blood located inside the vehicle, the investigation is being treated as a homicide. In addition, multiple items of evidence were collected from the vehicle and are being processed by the DOJ lab in an effort to identify suspects in this investigation.
