Update: California Attorney General Bonta Announces Arrest of Suspect for Homicide in Mariposa County
Update on Wendy Pullins Homicide Investigation
December 1, 2023 – The following information is from the press conference held by Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese.
Wendy had to go to Mariposa DMV on June 14, 2022, but was unable to complete her business and needed to return on June 15. She then went to stay at a friend’s home in the Stumpfield Mountain Road area in Mariposa County, Justin Bolton also lived on the property.
Wendy contacted her family to let them know she would be staying overnight in Mariposa. During her stay Mr. Bolton received information that he believed Wendy may have information or been involved in the death of Mr. Bolton’s older brother, James Allen. Mr. Bolton was enraged with what he believed was Wendy’s suspected involvement. At that point he decided to physically assault Wendy. He continued to beat her until she was deceased. After she was killed, Mr. Bolton wrapped up her body in plastic and put her inside of her red Jeep. At some point during the day on June 15, 2022, Mr. Bolton drove to a remote area in a location near Midpines in the Sierra National Forest and disposed of Wendy’s body down a steep embankment. He then drove the Jeep to a property in the Southern Sierra Miwok allotment land in Midpines where he left the vehicle.
On June 18th after receiving no contact and Wendy failing to come to work, Wendy’s family reported her missing to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. On June 21st the Madera County Sheriff’s Office turned the case over to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office after verifying that Wendy was last seen in Mariposa County. After receiving the initial information the sheriff’s office began working on a missing person case, the sheriff’s office began multiple search and rescue operations in and around the Stumpfield Mountain Road area. A large portion of the area is rough and is a single lane dirt road with multiple hazards that can cause those not familiar with the area to become lost or stranded. Cellphone data and pings in the area confirmed that Wendy had been on or near Stumpfield Mountain Road in the early morning hours of June 15, 2022. Over the next several days and weeks, comprehensive searches were done. Those searches included ground, drone, ATV and OHV, along with helicopter searches. No evidence of Wendy or her vehicle was located. Several residents in the area were interviewed, no one had seen her since 6:00 A.M. on June 15, 2022.
As the investigation continued, detectives began a more extensive investigation conducting interviews and writing search warrants. During this time a few individuals located the Jeep on the allotment land and began driving it around Mariposa. Those individuals later learned that this Jeep belonged to the missing person Wendy Pullins. Rather than call the sheriff’s office, those individuals attempted to paint the Jeep green and then they dumped it.
On September 8, 2022, through investigative leads, detectives gained information on the location of the Jeep. The Jeep was located in a remote area on Feliciana Mountain, also located in Mariposa County. The Jeep had been pushed down a steep embankment to conceal its whereabouts. Sheriff’s detectives recovered the Jeep from this location and it was sent to the DOJ lab in Fresno to be processed for evidence. Throughout the investigation the information collected kept pointing to Mr. Bolton and his involvement.
On September 22, 2022, detectives along with the assistance of the California Department of Justice Bureau of Investigation, special operations unit began to monitor or what most refer to as wiretapping; social media, cell phone and landline phones of several individuals believed to be involved in the disappearance of Wendy. On December 6, 2022, the Department of Justice reported to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office that the blood located inside of the Jeep was confirmed and it was a match to Wendy Pullins. Beginning on October 22, 2023, detectives intercepted several phone conversations from multiple individuals setting up an escape plan for Mr. Bolton. The plan included collecting money from friends and family and providing transportation for Mr. Bolton to leave Mariposa County.
On October 25, 2023, the sheriff’s office reported via social media that Justin Bolton was wanted for questioning regarding the murder of Wendy. That same day with assistance, Mr. Bolton fled Mariposa County to the town of Willits. On October 31, 2023, with information gathered, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office prepared a Ramey warrant and it was issued for the arrest of Mr. Bolton for the charge of murder.
On November 13, 2023, Mr. Bolton was tracked by Mariposa County Sheriff’s Detectives and the Department of Justice personnel from a residence where he was hiding in Mendocino County and he was taken into custody with the assistance of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the Mendocino Lake County Regional SWAT team. Once Mr. Bolton was in law enforcement custody, he was eventually transported back to Mariposa where he was charged with the murder of Wendy Pullins.
Once Mr. Bolton was in custody the detective’s focus was to find Wendy. Their investigation led them to a remote area in Midpines, inside the Sierra National Forest. Multiple cursory searches were done on several different occasions and on Wednesday, November 29th detectives, along with search and rescue teams with cadaver dogs, located evidence and the human remains in this area.
Over the course of this investigation the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office has attributed approximately 5,000 regular hours and 1,400 overtime hours, and they have authored and conducted over 100 search warrants. While this case took time, the team’s focus never wavered, and that was to find Wendy and arrest those involved in her disappearance and eventual murder. Sheriff Briese said he wanted to thank the following agencies for their assistance and support during this case; the California Department of Justice Bureau of Investigations Special Operations Unit, the California Department of Justice, the Mariposa County District Attorney’s Office, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Petaluma Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Merced County Sheriff’s Office, Merced County Search and Rescue, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management BLM, the California Highway Patrol, California Rescue Dog Association, the California Office of Emergency Services, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office.
View video here.
Source: Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office
