"Everyone on the streets knows who did it", Source close to man shot at Watson and F alludes to pot as motive

Eliot Michael Walin, was known as Eli to his friends.

Michael Acosta, who represented Eli in his 2013 cases and considered him a friend called his death tragic. He leaves behind his young daughter, Elliot, named after him and a mother and sister who are very close.

Eli did serve time in prison, he had a few cases in the Humboldt Superior Court system, the most recent being the 2013 charges against him for assault on Deputy Conan Moore. He plead to one charge but had another similar charge dismissed. He also had two misdemeanor assault and bettery cases in 2013, one against an Andrew Lee Cross dismissed.

"He was trying to turn his life around," Mr. Acosta told me this morning.

A source close to Eli who wishes to remain unnamed, said as far as he knows Eli was unarmed, has heard different versions of whether he was shot in the back or the chest and alluded to "pot" as a motive. "Everyone on the streets knows who did it."



Updated EPD Press Release:

Following the notification of his next of kin by the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office yesterday, the Eureka Police Department is releasing the identity of the man slain during last Saturday night’s shooting incident near the 1500 block of F Street, Eureka.  The deceased victim has been identified as 31-year-old Elliot Michael Walin of Fortuna.

Investigators have firmly established this incident is not related to last month’s gang involved shooting and homicide at nearby Hammond Park.  While EPD is not releasing details at this time regarding the possible motive behind this shooting, it was not a random act.

EPD is diligently following up on a number of strong investigative leads. Anyone with direct knowledge about this case is asked to contact the Eureka Police Department at (707) 441-4060 (front counter) or (707) 441-4044 (after hours only).  Direct your information to Senior Detective John Gordon or Sergeant Michael Guy. 

Original EPD Release:

 On 10/24/15, at about 9:55 PM, Eureka Police Department officers responded to the report of shots fired in the vicinity of F and Watson Streets.  Upon arrival, officers found an adult male victim in the street with an apparent gunshot wound. 

The victim was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. Officers subsequently learned, after he arrived at the hospital on his own, another male had also been shot, possibly during the same incident.  He is expected to survive.