Man Held to Answer for Attempted Murder of 75-Year-Old in Arcata Forest

A Humboldt County judge found sufficient probable cause this week to move a brutal assault case toward trial, holding 51-year-old Shawn Kolpak to answer on an attempted murder charge after a two-day preliminary hearing into the January 30 attack on 75-year-old Bill Spenceley inside the Arcata Community Forest.

Spenceley, a longtime Arcata resident and daily hiker, was found with severe head injuries on Trail 5. Emergency medical personnel responded and transported him to St. Joseph Hospital, where the severity of his condition prompted an airlift out of the county. As of a family update posted this week, Spenceley remains in a "very slow recovery phase," though relatives described "moments when he responds to commands that give us hope."

Investigators with the Arcata Police Department's Investigations Unit determined the incident was an intentional assault and identified Kolpak as the suspect within hours. Officers located him in his vehicle on the 700 block of 13th Street in Arcata in the early morning hours of January 31 and took him into custody without incident. He was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on attempted murder charges under California Penal Code 664/187(a) and has remained there without bail throughout the proceedings.

During the preliminary hearing, which began March 19, Arcata Police Officer Cameron Neff testified that he interviewed Kolpak after the arrest and assisted at the crime scene. Neff told the court that both men hiked the community forest every morning and exchanged greetings on the trail. Defense attorney David Celli, a deputy public defender, objected to portions of that testimony and secured a ruling from Judge Kaleb V. Cockrum striking some of Neff's statements after raising concerns about Miranda Rights compliance.

"Held to answer" means Judge Cockrum reviewed the prosecution's evidence and determined there is probable cause to believe a crime occurred and that Kolpak committed it. The case now moves into pretrial phases: the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office will continue building its case through discovery, potential evidentiary hearings may follow, and a trial date will eventually be set.

Trail 5, a popular route through the Arcata Community Forest used by hundreds of residents daily, sits within one of the most heavily trafficked green spaces in Humboldt County. The attack, which happened in the morning hours when Spenceley and Kolpak both regularly walked the forest, raised immediate questions about patrol coverage in the 2,134-acre forest. The Arcata Police Department encouraged anyone with additional information to contact Detective Sergeant Victoria Johnson at 707-822-2424.