Three to face trial in double homicide case

OROVILLE » Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey announced Friday morning that three men will be held to answer for the Forbestown killing of two Florida brothers in October 2020.

According to a press release, Judge Jesus Rodriguez found that there was sufficient evidence for a case against Michael Grif, 22, Austin Hogan, 22, and Kyle Smith, 35, for two counts of murder and two counts of robbery.

According to the press release, Ramsey’s office said evidence shows that Randy Bonds, 33, and Jerry Bonds, 39, had come from Florida to purchase marijuana from the three defendants.

According to Ramsey, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the case when Florida family members reported the two men missing on Oct. 21, 2020.

The family said the two men had flown to Los Angeles on Oct.19, 2020, and rented a car.

According to the press release, the family said that by using a GPS app on one of the two brother’s phones had shown that

they went missing in Forbestown on Oct. 20.

When the rental car was found at an abandoned casino in Boomtown, Nevada with blood in it, a multistate investigation was kicked off.

According to Ramsey a witness then came forward and alleged the three men had killed the two brothers which led to the arrest of all three men and the discovery of the two bodies.

Ramsey said there were two civilian witnesses and five law-enforcement officers who testified at the preliminary hearing outlining the evidence that linked the three men to a meeting with the two Bonds brothers at Ponderosa Way and lower Forbestown Road in eastern Butte County.

Ramsey said that the evidence showed the three men convinced the two brothers to come to the remote location where they were shot by Griff and Hogan using a handgun and a shotgun.

The three men are suspected of then buried the bodies under some vegetation in the area, Smith then allegedly drove the rental car to the Nevada casino while being followed by Griff and Hogan.

It was there, Ramsey said that local and Nevada surveillance linked the defendants to the vehicles and the homicide scene.

Police officers testified during the hearing that property belonging to both brothers was found at Grif’s home, including Randy Bonds’ ID card.

Investigators also told the court that they had discovered firearms at the residence along with evidence of marijuana sales.

Officers also said that evidence showed all three men had recently stayed together at the Oroville home.

According to the press release, Ramsey noted that the judge also found that there was sufficient evidence that the murders were carried out for financial gain; while lying in wait; in the commission of a robbery, and constituted multiple murders.

Ramsey said that the findings allow for a life sentence without the possibility of parole and that there was sufficient evidence to show that Grif and Hogan each discharged a gun.

All three defendants are on no bail holds and will appear in court Nov. 3 for further arrangement and the setting of a jury trial on all accounts.