John Chiv: Testimony on the first day of Daryl Jones' preliminary hearing focuses on several locations, common 707 number and alleged death threats made by a caller, so far only APD investigation identifies Jones by name as a suspect

Aug 25, 2025

Testimony on the first day of Daryl Jones' preliminary hearing focuses on several locations, common 707 number and alleged death threats made by a caller, so far only APD investigation identifies Jones by name as a suspect

(Daryl Jones with his attorney: Photo by John Chiv)

(Daryl Jones strokes his beard while listening to testimony: Photo by John Chiv)

Terroristic and criminal threats suspect Daryl Jones was already seated when the courtroom opened and due to the conditions granted about taking photos and where I was seated, this photo is the best I could take. I went through a lot to get this photos; tomorrow I will see if I can get a better one. Testimony on the first day of Daryl Jones' preliminary hearing focuses on several locations, common 707 number and alleged death threats made by a caller, so far only APD investigation identifies Jones by name as a suspect.

Jones was already seated when the courtroom opened and due to the conditions granted about taking photos and where I was seated, this photo is the best I could take. I went through a lot to get this photos; tomorrow I will see if I can get a better one.

Do not share this photo without permission and without credit. There is a note on my blog about content and I had to get a media request granted with a lot of challenges to get the first photo of Jones in Humboldt. I did share the photo and give permission to KRCR/KAEF and Lost Coast Outpost to use with credit.

I just did a post earlier today on terroristic and criminal threats suspect. I am not including all that information again.

Judge Timothy Canning is presiding over the preliminary hearing. Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees is the prosecutor. Conflict Counsel Supervising Attorney Meagan O'Connell is Jones' attorney.

After a defense motion to exclude witnesses and potential witnesses, several people logged off Zoom, including Darius Jones. After several people in court left; the only people in the courtroom were Judge Canning, attorneys, court clerk and reporter, the bailiff, Ms. Joanne Carter who represents one of the alleged victims; Victim Witness Advocate and media.

Initially, Jones sat stone faced, only shaking his head when Ms. O'Connell spoke to him. As the hearing proceeded, his posture relaxed and he stroked his beard.

**This is court coverage and the testimony includes graphic language and alleged violent threats. It is your choice to continue to read beyond this point **

First People's witness to testify was CHP officer Travis Sarvinski. On February 27, Officer Sarvinski responded to a call at the California Conservation Corps office in Fortuna.

He testified about alleged death threats received by Racquel Ortega and about her from a person who identified himself as "Jeremiah Anderson. A 707 number was common among the investigation done at all schools and locations during today's testimony.

Another employee at the CCC office, Deborah Nelson, spoke to the caller and heard him say, “Kill Raquel, bitch” and “I’mma kill you too, bitch,” Sarvinksi testified.

Nelson and Ortega received more threatening calls from the man on Feb. 28, March 7 and March 18. Officer Sarvinski asked a CCC employee to put one of these calls on speakerphone and during that call, he heard the caller say, “You know I’m planning on coming up there and killing all y’all motherfuckers” and, later, “Call the cops, bitch. Y’all dead.”

Officer Sarvinski recognized the voice from an audio recording in an investigation by the Arcata Police Department. The suspect APD identified was Jones.

Calls made to CCC stated the caller would show up in a "red pickup" or "red coupe." There was a red 2000 Nissan Frontier parked near the CCC office but belonged to someone else that was associated with CCC and "in good standing."

Employees searched a database and found that Jones had worked for the CCC until 2017 and had been separated.

Cal Poly Humboldt Police Officer Ryan Flowers who was previously at Eureka Police Department and a school resource officer was the second People's witness.

Flowers testified that in March he responded to a series of threatening phone calls that led to lockdowns at Eureka High School, Alder Grove Charter School, Sweet Peas Learning Center, Little Saplings Preschool and Grant Elementary School.

Preliminary hearing continues tomorrow at 9:15.

So far, except for testimony about Arcata Police identifying Daryl Ray Jones as a suspect; most of the testimony was about a caller and alleged threats.

I have already posted court documents with more details in previous coverage than what was in today's testimony. These technical details are necessary about what led to identifying suspect. The details of alleged threats are already known to most people.

8/25/25 court minutes: