Happy Camp, CA: Happy Camp woman killed in Orleans shooting

Happy Camp, Calif. —
A Happy Camp man is being held in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of murder after he shot his wife Saturday.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department reported in a recent press release that at approximately 4:05 a.m. Saturday, they were asked to respond to Happy Camp, where 30-year-old James Roberts had brought his wife, 24-year-old Breonna Roberts, after shooting her in Orleans, about 45 miles southwest of Happy Camp.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department reported that at about 3 a.m., they received a report that there had been a shooting on State Route 96 near Orleans Elementary School.
Deputies learned that earlier in the evening that Breonna and two friends had been inside a bar in Happy Camp. When they left the bar they discovered their truck, a brown Ford flatbed, had been stolen, according to an HCSD press release. Breonna called her husband and asked for his help.
James picked up the group, and they decided to look for the stolen vehicle, the HCSD release said. They traveled south on SR 96 toward Orleans. About one mile north of Orleans they found the unoccupied truck parked along the highway. The group continued along the highway, reportedly looking for anybody who may have stolen the vehicle.
When they arrived in Orleans they saw a group of juveniles near the elementary school, whom they approached, the release said. Witnesses indicated that Breonna became involved in a physical fight with the group of juveniles, and at some point during that confrontation, James returned to his vehicle and retrieved a firearm.
During the continuing fight, James’ firearm discharged, striking his wife, whom he then placed inside his vehicle and drove back to Happy Camp, the HCSD release said. There he made contact with ambulance personnel at the ambulance staging area. Ambulance personnel pronounced Breonna dead at the scene at around 4:20 a.m.
Sheriff’s deputies from both the HCSD and SCSO arrived in Happy Camp and arrested Roberts for murder.
James is expected to be arraigned in Humboldt County Court on Wednesday.
According to the SCSO release, the SCSO is assisting with the investigation, but the HCSD maintains jurisdiction of this investigation.
This case is still under investigation, and the HCSD is asking anyone with information about this case to call Detective Wayne Hanson at (707) 268-3639.