Northshore woman arrested for murdering boyfriend; police seek additional information
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said it has arrested a local woman for homicide in the death of her boyfriend.
Wynona Starr Anderson, 29, of Nice, is being held for the murder of 29-year-old Yancy McCloud Jr. of Nice, said Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said that at 1:15 a.m. Sunday the California Highway Patrol responded to the 3400 block of Lakeshore Boulevard in unincorporated north Lakeport to investigate the report of a vehicle hitting a utility pole.
Initial radio reports on the incident described the vehicle as a Dodge Durango, with the crash shearing off a utility pole and leaving debris across the roadway.
When the officers arrived at the scene, they found Anderson, the vehicle’s driver, with McCloud, the passenger, unresponsive in the car, Rasmussen said.
Lakeport Fire Protection District personnel tried to resuscitate McCloud, who was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, according to radio reports. Rasmussen said McCloud was pronounced dead at the hospital.
While at the crash scene, Rasmussen said the CHP arrested Anderson for driving under the influence, driving without a license, being under the influence of controlled substances and an unrelated misdemeanor arrest warrant. Booking records show that the arrest took place shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday.
Rasmussen said investigators determined that McCloud did not have injuries consistent with a vehicle crash and they believe he was dead prior to the wreck.
He said information developed during the course of the initial investigation pointed to the couple being in an altercation in the city of Lakeport prior to the crash taking place, with McCloud dying of injuries inflicted during that fight.
Based on that information, CHP officers contacted the Lakeport Police Department, which immediately began a homicide investigation, Rasmussen said.
During the course of the investigation that took place throughout the day on Sunday, Rasmussen said Lakeport Police officers developed information confirming the investigation’s earlier conclusions.
“Based on the facts and circumstances known to us, officers believed that McCloud was the victim of homicide committed by Anderson,” Rasmussen said in his Monday report.
At approximately 2 p.m. on Sunday, Lakeport Police officers arrested and booked Anderson for murder, Rasmussen said.
At the time of the homicide arrest, Anderson remained in custody at the Lake County Correctional Facility, where she had been booked after her early Sunday morning arrest, Rasmussen said.
Anderson remains in custody on bail of $1 million, according to jail records.
Rasmussen confirmed that Anderson and McCloud were in a dating relationship and said his department has had previous contacts with both of them.
Online booking records show that Anderson has had previous arrests in Tehama County for alcohol- and drug-related offenses, and a 2009 arrest in Lake County for grand theft.
Rasmussen said the investigation is ongoing. The work still to be done includes an examination of the vehicle, which is in police custody, along with evidence processing and an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of McCloud’s death.
He said his department is working with the coroner’s office to schedule McCloud’s autopsy for this week.
Anyone with information regarding the activities of McCloud and Anderson during the day prior to this incident is asked to contact Lakeport Police Lt. Dale Stoebe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by telephone at 707-263-5491.
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