Man faces murder trial for crossbow killing in Humboldt County

A transient who allegedly shot two men in Humboldt County with a crossbow -- one of them fatally -- will stand trial on murder and attempted murder charges, a judge ruled Thursday.

Testimony from the preliminary hearing for Phoenix Triton King, 21, shows that he confessed to authorities that he fatally shot a 44-year-old man in the face and wounded a 41-year-old man in September, the Times-Standard of Eureka reported. King told authorites he acted in self defense, the paper reported.

King’s 16-year-old girlfriend will also stand trial, although prosecutors have not decided whether to try her as a juvenile or adult, the Times-Standard reported.

The pair were taken into custody Sept. 9 without incident by a SWAT unit after they were spotted by a helicopter in a brush-covered area in the Friends of Dunes nature center in Arcata.

The hunt for King and the girl began the day after someone called 911 to report an injured man lying on the side of the road in an isolated stretch between Arcata Bay and the coast.

A second witness reported seeing two people ride away from the area on bicycles, then ditch them and run into the woods after being confronted, sheriff’s officials said.

During the search, deputies found the body of a 44-year-old man who had apparently been fatally shot by an arrow. He was found in a thicket of trees and bushes edging the coastline about 200 yards west of the wounded victim, officials said.

ALSO:

Cop said Kelly Thomas gave him ‘fight of his life,’ witness says

Anaheim, ACLU in talks to settle council district election lawsuit

Bodies found in Simi Valley the result of murder-suicide, police say

[email protected]

Twitter: @josephserna