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HSU President Rossbacher Issues Statement on Lawson Investigation

HSU President Lisa Rossbacher has issued a statement calling on Arcata city officials to ensure that justice is pursued in the David Josiah Lawson homicide investigation.

Her call comes after two resignations last week.  First, a a former FBI special agent who was a consultant to the Arcata Police Department's investigation resigned. Hours later, the Arcata police chief resigned.  

Former FBI official Tom Parker told KHSU, the North Coast Journal, and KQED's The California Report that he stepped away from Arcata's investigation out of frustration. Parker claimed the investigation is at a standstill, and that APD detectives and District Attorney investigators are unwilling to follow his recommendations. 

Arcata City Manager Karen Diemer disagrees, saying local investigators believe their approach will solve the year-old homicide. 

Our community needs justice, and our students need to feel safe.

HSU President Lisa Rossbacher issued the following statement on Monday:

I’m troubled by the developments over the last week, and especially what I heard in today’s interviews with Mr. Parker, regarding the investigation into the murder of David Josiah Lawson. A year later, this case remains unresolved.

 

HSU has a strong friendship with the City of Arcata, and we are grateful for that relationship. At this point, I think our role as a friend is to make sure we all remember the most important points. Our community needs justice, and our students need to feel safe.

This is not something that HSU can just solve. I wish it were. It is a law enforcement matter being led by the City of Arcata, and I don’t know all the additional steps they can or will be taking. We will continue to do all we can to support the investigation and the City to bring a lasting justice for Josiah.

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