Witness claims that minutes before thumping sounds from the living room, Semore asked her to hold onto his pistol and was talking on the phone in hushed tones

The second witness to testify in the Jonas Semore preliminary hearing was HCSO Investigator Greg Musson. It was his testimony and cross examination that started Thursday and continued until Friday and had colorful quotes like "This case is like a virulent case of herpes."

Investigator Musson was the lead investigator in this case. He received a report on April 29, 2015. His investigation led him to speak with inmates at the Humboldt County jail. He spoke with Rebecaa Hamline, who had submitted a form to speak with investigators. He received that request on August 3rd. Through further investigation, it led Investigator to "suspicion that Jonas Semore and Nicholas Johnson were involved."

Semore

Johnson

The address where the incident occurred was referred to as "650 C. Way" in McKinleyville. On May 12. Investigator Musson went to that location and "discovered numerous locations, door, door jam, photo frame that appeared to have blood evidence. There appeared to be blood droplets on the countertop, what appeared to be blood on top of the photo frame, red substance on desk which appeared like an attempt had been made to clean it up."

An evidence tech swabbed these areas. A Dan Reynolds owned the house and lived at the house. Other living at that house were identified as July Seipp, Sarah Jones, her boyfriend Randall Cook (known as Randy), Kita Rojas, Tim Christie, Rick webster and "transient population that comes and goes."

Investigator Musson spoke to Jones. She told him that "on April 29, her boyfriend Randy Cook, July Seipp, Jeremy Cringle, not sure if Dan Reynolds was there or not, and Mr. Semore were present (at the house). Jones said that Mr. Semore was there to conduct a business transaction, buy a truck from Mr. Seipp, that did not occur. Jones heard Mr. Semore make phone calls, "he was talking in hushed tones, talking about a potential disagreement with Nick and that Nick and Ganfield were en route to the residence."

Jones said that Semore gave her a pistol to hold on to when he picked her up that night. Later on that night, Jones claims Semore told her to "keep an eye on his shit. This was 15 minutes before the assault took place."

Jones told Musson "she heard a whacking/beating noise several times. She was scared." Seipp, Cook and Jones stayed in the room and they heard moaning noises from the living room area. "She said she was scared so she stayed in the room, everyone stayed in the room."

Investigator Musson said that evening, a half an hour before the beating, Cook and Jones were out with Semore and "Mr. Semore told Jones to go the roundabout to tell Nick to wait. She was stopped on her way and went back to the bedroom." Jones said that she did not see Johnson or Ganfield that night.

Investigator Musson spoke to Cook.

DDA Roger Rees: "Do you believe he is a truthful person?"

Investigator Musson: "He is not."

When asked about Deputy Gagnon's testimony about what Cook told him by DDA Rees (Investigator Musson was allowed to be in court as the lead investigator and there had been no motion to exclude witnesses at start of trial), Investigator Musson said that :It was a lie."

Investigator Musson said that Cook denied being at the house that night when the assault occurred and said that he went to his girlfriend's house after dropping Ganfield off at the hospital.

Investigator Musson talked with Reynolds and Rick Webster. Reynold told him that after the beating took place and they discovered Ganfield was hurt, they went to the house through the back door, pounded on Jones and Cook's door and said "this guy needs help." According to Reynolds, Semore, Johnson, Cook, Jones, Webster and he were all at the house.

Reynolds said he was in the driveway talking to "Sam, a female who drove him home and saw five unidentified men go into the living room. He heard thumping sounds and saw all five exit the house. He did not get an opportunity to ask what happened."

Webster, who lives in a trailer at the residence, said he heard moaning sounds from the house. Webster claims that other than being contacted by Reynolds and Cook, he did not see anyone.

Prior to this case, Investigator Musson said he had no contact with Hamline or Semore. Through his investigation, he learned that Hamline and Semore "have been longtime friends". Investigator Musson did not "investigate that connection."

Investigator Musson said "we believe that the incident happened around 11 or 11:30 on April 28." On  the morning of April 29 in the early am hours, Hamline met Semore in McKinleyville, and in her words it was "to pick him up to conduct a drug deal." Hamline claims that Semore told her an incident occurred earlier where he had been detained by law enforcement. He mentioned "graciously provided a donut to the Deputy after he had been detained."

DDA Rees asked if he thought Hamline was a liar.

"I can;t testify to her being a liar but due to her extensive record, she is a thief" and Investigator Musson said he initially questioned her story.

DDA Rees asked what made Investigator change his mind.

Investigator Musson responded that the donut reference did. "That information was never released to the public."

Investigator Musson said that Hamline told him another convesration took place between Semore and her, three days after Ganfield was attacked. Hamline claims Semore confessed to her that "Ganfield had been beaten with a baseball bat, it happened in the living room, he told her only two people were in the room, himself and Ganfield."

"According to Hamline, Semore said, "There was 2 people, me and him." According to Hamline, Semore said that he hit Ganfield with a bat. "Nick wouldn't let it go and it needed to be dealt with ASAP."

Hamline said that Semore told her that when Ganfield walked into the house, he was hit with the baseball bat. Hamline said Semore said there were no witnesses to the assault but that people were around the house. " The  weapon has not been recovered, said Investigator Musson but the autopsy conducted by Dr. Super, for which Investigator Musson was present, lists cause of death as being "hit in the head by blunt force." Investigator Musson said that Ganfield's injuries included "blood clot in the brain."

In his investigation, Investigator Musson heard several rumors about why Ganfield was attacked. Webster, known as Uncle Rick to Semore owed him $8,000 was one rumor; another rumor was drug money owed; another rumor of a $50,000 debt; another rumor that Ganfield had beat several women and one woman was a relative of Johnson's; yet another rumor that Ganfield had "ripped off a bunch of heroin from the 18th street gang"  and other rumors about alleged fights that Ganfield was involved with, one where Johnson was present, another where "Holly Daviidson Moon, her boyfriend and someone else" were present.

As the investigation proceeded, Investigator Musson learned that Reynolds had seen Semore and "three unknown males leave the house with a fishwhacker or a smaller bat."

Through video from Blue Lake casino, a silver BMV which Semore and Johnson were seen exiting and entering Blue Lake Casino briefly on the night of April 28  was a car identified by a Samantha Martinez, the woman who dropped off Reynolds at home that night and she mentioned "five to 7 people" in the driveway and the "boxy silver BMW" following her out of the driveway going towards the Pump and Play."

Shoes Semore was wearing were collected by Detective Todd Fulton. "There was a smudge on the right outside of the shoe." The Department of Justice tested the substance and it was positive for blood. The type is still to be determined and DOJ is "still testing" said Musson.