The three men who were fatally shot in a Forestville residence Tuesday were waiting for someone who was going to sell them "a significant amount" of marijuana, a Sonoma County sheriff's lieutenant said this afternoon.
The sheriff's office has identified two of the victims as Richard Lewin, 46, of Huntington, N.Y., and Raleigh Butler, 26, a former Petaluma resident who most recently was living in the Lake Tahoe area.
The identity of the third victim, a man in his 40s who also lives out of the area, will be released when his next of kin are notified, Lt. Dennis O'Leary said.
Butler's brother and his brother's girlfriend, who called police, found the bodies around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday in the bedroom of a cabin on property at 9707 Ross Station Road, O'Leary said.
He said it's believed the shootings happened around noon. Butler's brother told investigators he was expecting a call from his brother and became concerned and went to the residence when he did not hear from him for four to six hours, O'Leary said.
Butler's brother and his brother's girlfriend are not suspected of being involved in the marijuana deal, O'Leary said.
Butler's mother was renting a residence on the property but was out of state when the murders occurred, O'Leary said.
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"There was a lot of blood at the scene, but no sign of a struggle," O'Leary said. Some processed marijuana was found at the scene but not a weapon. "I don't believe people in the neighborhood are in any danger," O'Leary said.
"We're working on leads and interviewing associates of the three victims," O'Leary said. Autopsies are scheduled for Thursday.
