Matthew Rickner

A 29-year-old Crescent City man faces a murder charge in connection with the death of his mother, Del Norte County Sheriff Garrett Scott told the Wild Rivers Outpost on Tuesday.

Deputies arrested Matthew Earl Rickner at about midnight Saturday on the 100 block of Bertsch Avenue after they found Phyllis Rickner dead in the living room of her home on the 500 block of Humboldt Road, Scott said.

Phyllis Rickner had called dispatch at about 11:06 p.m. Friday to report a gun missing from her bedroom. According to the sheriff, the victim told deputies she believed her son had possession of it.
Shortly after, a neighbor called dispatch to report shots being fired, Scott said.

“When deputies arrived on scene, they found Phyllis to be deceased in the living room,” the sheriff told the Outpost, reading from the report. “They spoke with the father of Matthew and the husband of Phyllis who was on scene. He advised deputies that Matthew had shot Phyllis and fled on foot. While he was running on foot, he fired a couple of rounds, we believe, into the air about 200 yards from the house.”

According to Scott, two California Highway Patrol officers found Matthew Rickner on Bertsch after dispatch received an anonymous tip of a suspicious person being in the area. The suspect fled on foot and was arrested following a brief pursuit.

Deputies found the missing firearm in Matthew Rickner’s waistband along with methamphetamine and a methamphetamine pipe, Scott said.

Along with the CHP, the Crescent City Police Department and Del Norte County Animal Control responded to the scene. Scott said there were three dogs at Phyllis Rickner’s home that needed to be secured while deputies were serving a search warrant. They were released to her husband.

Matthew Rickner was booked into the Del Norte County Jail and is being held without bail. In addition to the murder charge, Rickner may also be charged with possession of methamphetamine, according to Scott.

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