(02-06) 11:49 PST FORESTVILLE -- A triple homicide at a wooded property in rural west Sonoma County grew out of a marijuana deal, authorities said Wednesday.
Raleigh Butler, 26, and two other men were shot to death in a bedroom of a home on the 9700 block of
Ross Station Road, between Graton and Forestville west of Highway 116.
The bodies were found about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday by the brother of one of other two victims, whose identities were withheld Wednesday pending notification of their families. The man and his girlfriend had grown concerned when they could not reach the brother on the telephone, said sheriff's Lt.
Dennis O'Leary.
Butler was originally from Petaluma but had been living out of the area for several years, the Sheriff's Department said in a statement Wednesday. The other two victims were also from out of the area, the statement said.
"Based on interviews and evidence collected at the scene, we believe this is a marijuana drug deal that resulted in the death of the three victims," the sheriff's statement said.