On July 7, 2021, at about 9:15 a.m., Shaun Patrick McMahon, age 49 of Trinidad, turned himself in to law enforcement at the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Main Station in Eureka. McMahon has been identified as the suspect in the shooting death of Benjamin Scott Thomas.

Thomas arrived injured to the Elk Camp CAL FIRE Station on Bald Hills Road near Orick on June 23, 2021. Thomas succumbed to his injuries on scene. His death was determined to be a homicide. Since this incident, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division has been actively investigating this case and as a result of this investigation, requested a warrant for McMahon’s arrest.

McMahon was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of murder (PC 187(a)). He is being held without bail.

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.