$400,000 REWARD
FOR INFORMATION REGARDING
CHRIS GIAUQUE’S HOMICIDE CASE
Chris Giauque
Contact Chris’ Father, Bob Giauque at 707-
Mail at P.O. Box 609, Monte Rio, CA 95462
Or
Private Investigator Dawn King at 707-
dawntodawninvestigations@gmail.com
The following provides information about a high profile northern California homicide, case, that of Chris Robert Giauque, a medical marijuana activist. His case is among the more troubling disappearances connected to the cannabis industry in Northern California. Apparently, the cannabis economy of multiple counties has established a web of self-serving arrangements that profit not only those acting outside the law, but also those who should be enforcing the law.
The Early Life of Chris Giauque
Chris Giauque was born on February 2, 1967, and raised in Oakland, California. His father was a scientist, and his mother an elementary school teacher. Chris was bright, inquisitive, and deeply passionate about his pursuits. Despite serious health challenges—including two major heart surgeries at Stanford during his youth—he remained resilient.
After graduating from high school, Chris attended the University of California, Davis, where he became head of NORML, advocating for cannabis legalization. While in college, he suffered a severe spinal injury but, against expectations, regained the ability to walk after intensive rehabilitation.
The Establishment of a Cannabis Business in Humboldt County
Following college, Chris moved to Humboldt County and established a cannabis operation in the Salmon Creek area. Chris made several trips to Amsterdam, which was then regarded as the center of the cannabis world. During these trips, he not only obtained highly desirable cannabis seeds, but also learned advanced techniques involving the genetics and the propagation of specialized cannabis strains. Within his local growing community, Chris became recognized for cultivating a strain known as “Big Bud.”
Unlike most cannabis growers of that era, Chris was outspoken and highly visible, actively pushing for the legalization of cannabis. His public advocacy often placed him in conflict not only with law enforcement, but also with other growers who preferred to remain anonymous and avoid attention. Chris strongly believed that cannabis prohibition was unjust and was willing to openly challenge the legal system despite the personal risks involved. Over the years, he served multiple prison terms for cannabis-related offenses, experiences that further reinforced his distrust of law enforcement and his determination to fight for legalization.
The Purchase and Operation of a Large Property in Mendocino County
In February 2001, Chris and two partners acquired a 440-acre property in the Spyrock region of Mendocino County. Chris provided most of the funding, while his partners contributed minimal amounts but retained significant profit shares.
Later that year, Chris was arrested and sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. During his incarceration, control of the Spyrock property fell to partner Benjamin Jeffrey Lomax, who allegedly mismanaged the operation—firing workers, bringing in associates, and failing to meet financial obligations.
Chris Hired Legal Counsel to Seek the Return of One Ounce of Cannabis Illegally Seized
While in prison, Chris had a lawyer seek return of one ounce of cannabis that had previously been illegally seized by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department (Chris had a medical cannabis card). A Humboldt County Superior Court Judge ruled that the head sheriff had to give Chris back his one ounce of cannabis or the sheriff would be held in “contempt of court”. The sheriff turned the one ounce of cannabis over to the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Chris had his lawyer seek the return of the one ounce of cannabis from the DEA.
Chris Returns Home from Prison, Marries His Wife, and Is Reported Missing Two Weeks Later
Chris returned home from prison in June 2003. A month later, he married Rebecca Lynn Smiley. Two weeks later, he traveled to the Spyrock property to collect approximately $150,000 he believed he was owed from sales during the period of his incarceration. He was last seen after being driven onto the property by Ben Lomax. Chris never returned home.
Two days later, his disappearance was reported by his wife, accompanied by a lawyer and Ben Lomax — the last known person to see Chris before he disappeared. That same day, Chris’ father, Bob Giauque, spoke by telephone with Chris’ wife. The following day, Rebecca informed Chris’ father that, “on the advice of her attorney, she would have no further communications with him. They never spoke to each other again.
Ben Lomax and Other Individuals Seek Legal Advice
Ben Lomax admitted to meeting with Chris in the trailer home where Ben resided on Spyrock. Ben immediately hired a lawyer and to be with him during any interviews by law enforcement. Law enforcement wanted to interview a group of four individuals. They were Scott Arthur McKinney, Freddie Allen Delgado, Victor Raul Suarez Jr., and Eric Paul Barnett.
Eventually, Scott McKinney was contacted by law enforcement and they were told to talk to the lawyer representing all four of these individuals. Scott McKinney was not interviewed.
Ben Lomax’s Trailer Home Reeked of Disinfectant and No Comprehensive Search of the Property Has Ever Been Conducted
Two days after Chris was reported missing, Chris’ right-hand man in Salmon Creek went to the Spyrock property where Chris met with Ben Lomax in Ben’s trailer home. The trailer home which was typically very messy had been cleaned up and reeked of disinfectant.
Despite these troubling circumstances, law enforcement did not get to the Spyrock property for 17 days. By then, the odor of the disinfectant had disappeared. Law enforcement obtained a few physical items as well as written information left in the trailer home. Apparently, no physical samples of the trailer were taken. No comprehensive search of the area has ever been conducted. Chris’ body has never been recovered.
Landmark Ruling by a Federal Judge
About three weeks after Chris was reported missing, a federal judge issued a landmark ruling ordering the DEA to return Chris’ one ounce of cannabis. Ironically, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department was held responsible for roughly 90% of the legal expenses that Chris had incurred in his effort to recover the illegally seized cannabis.
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department Has Two Deputies Who Initially Worked on Chris’ Case
Approximately two months into the case, a relatively new member of the HCSO took over the case as the original deputy on the case retired. Over the course of several years, this deputy tried multiple times to make contact with Scott McKinney. Reportedly, the deputy in a written report recommended that Scott McKinney be brought before a grand jury. By doing so, Scott McKinney could have been required to release medical records regarding an injury to his arm apparently received the night of Chris’ disappearance. That injury, as appears in a later photograph of Scott McKinney, looked to be a long deep cut. It is known that Chris always carried a knife. Later investigative reconstruction suggests that Chris defended himself with the knife.
Father Regrets Not Immediately Hiring a Private Investigator
His father regrets that he did not immediately employ a private investigator after Chris went missing. He believed law enforcement would aggressively investigate the case and appropriately handle the situation. In retrospect, that belief was naive. At every step, at every stage, there has been calculated delay and inaction.
Father Hires Private Investigator Who Interacts with Scott McKinney
Approximately one year after Chris was reported as a missing individual, Chris’ father hired private investigator Doug Newton. Scott reportedly was a close friend of Ben Lomax. Doug immediately left his business card in numerous locations and sought to interact with Scott McKinney.
Scott did make telephone contact with Doug. Scott denied knowing what happened to Chris Giauque. Newton questioned McKinney regarding the injury to his arm that had reportedly required medical treatment. According to Newton, McKinney claimed the injury was self-inflicted while cutting the bottoms out of plastic flower pots.
Newton then asked whether McKinney would sign a release authorizing access to the medical records associated with treatment for the injury. According to Newton, McKinney declined and stated: “No, that would just open a can of worms.”
Shown above is the injury to Scott McKinney’s arm. Scott sought medical attention for the wound the very night that Chris vanished. The wound could not have occurred with a utility knife while cutting out the bottom of plastic flower pots. An injury on his hands, yes, but not along the outside of his arm. It is well known that Chris always carried a large knife for protection. He wielded it while being overpowered by a number of individuals the evening of August 9. Even with all this, law enforcement has never interviewed Scott nor has Scott ever been served a subpoena to appear before a grand jury.
$25 Million Cannabis Bust and Seizure of the Spyrock Property
In August 2005, federal authorities carried out a reported $25 million cannabis bust centered on a high-end audio stereo shop in Fresno, California, with grow operations tied to the Spyrock region of Mendocino County. Among the Spyrock growers identified were Benjamin Jeffrey Lomax, Scott Arthur McKinney, Victor Raul Suarez Jr., and Freddie Allen Delgado, along with multiple individuals from the Fresno area.
The subsequent federal seizure of Chris’ Spyrock property and the incarceration of Benjamin Jeffrey Lomax in the Mendocino County jail refocused the investigation. In 2007, as part of a plea agreement, Ben Lomax was required to participate in an approximately three-hour interview conducted by two members of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
The lead detective on Chris’ case at the MCSO took excellent notes, but his follow-up was poor. He believed Ben Lomax had nothing to do with Chris’ disappearance. In 2010, the detective left the MCSO on disability and later became a private investigator.
Chris Declared Dead by the Court and Death Certificate Is Purged
In September 2010, Chris was declared dead by the court. Subsequently, the civil attorney representing Chris’ wife had Chris’ death certificate purged from normal public access. As a result, members of the public are unable to obtain information contained in the death certificate.
District Attorney of Mendocino County in Conjunction with the Sheriff’s Department Implements a Cannabis “Restitution” Program
In 2011, the current head district attorney for Mendocino County in conjunction with the previous head sheriff of Mendocino County implemented the cannabis “restitution” program offering misdemeanor plea deals in exchange for payments. The funds collected are solely controlled by the DA for distribution. This is a unique situation. By law in all California counties, either the auditor-controller or the treasurer keeps track of all county income and expenses. For Mendocino County, the current situation presents the possibility of corruption and dependence on marijuana money.
Initial Reward Fund Established and Scott McKinney Writes a Letter to the Editor
A year later, in 2012, Bob Giauque established a $200,000 reward fund for information on his son’s disappearance. The reward was publicized on a website https://chrisreward.org , in newspaper articles, and through two mailings sent to named post office box holders in Laytonville.
That same month, Scott McKinney wrote a letter to the editor of the Anderson Valley Advertiser in which he denied having had anything to do with the disappearance of Chris Giauque. Moreover, he claimed that he had passed a polygraph examination that had been turned over to law enforcement. He additionally stated that he was willing to contribute to the reward fund and that he was from Humboldt County. However, law enforcement never received a copy of the alleged polygraph examination, he never contributed to the reward fund, and his cannabis business operations were located in Mendocino County.
A New Private Investigator Was Hired
In 2018, Private Investigator Dawn King took over the investigation into Chris’ disappearance after Doug Newton moved to Oregon. Dawn previously worked on several large FBI undercover cases in Oregon, bringing substantial investigative experience to the case. She has remained steadfast to Bob’s efforts to find answers regarding Chris’ disappearance.
The Reward Fund Was Increased to $400,000
In October 2020, the reward fund was increased from $200,000 to $400,000. The sum of $200,000 is being offered for information that leads to the recovery of Chris’ remains. An additional sum of $200,000 is offered for information that leads to the arrest and subsequent conviction of the individuals responsible for this homicide.
Private Investigator Receives Critical Information from the MCSO
Prior to his retirement in 2022, the Chief Investigator for the Mendocino DA’s Office convinced the head sheriff to give Dawn King a video copy of Ben Lomax’s three hour interview in 2007 with the MCSO. At the same time Dawn was provided with a list of both Chris’ and Ben’s cell phone calls the day that Chris went missing. Ben’s interview was subsequently transcribed. The interview and the list of cell phone calls provided information that was critical to the case. During the interview, Ben made many statements that were false.
Father Attempts to Contact State Attorney General and Meets with HCSO Cold Case Detective
In 2023, Bob sent a letter to the California Attorney General’s Office requesting that the department take over Chris Giauque’s homicide case. Bob was subsequently contacted by a woman working in the Victims Advocate Unit, who requested that he communicate with the cold case deputy assigned through the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.
The following month, Bob met with the cold case deputy, a retired lieutenant from the HCSO. The first thing this deputy told Bob was that he had interacted with Chris years earlier while working out of the Garberville substation, and that those interactions had not been pleasant. Bob hoped that the HCSO would interview both Ben Lomax and Scott McKinney regarding Chris’ disappearance and presumed homicide.
When Bob informed the deputy that a website dedicated to Chris’ homicide case had existed for more than a decade, the deputy stated that he was unaware of the website. Moreover, the deputy was also unaware that a $400,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the resolution of the case.
Billboard in Laytonville Advertising the $400,000 Reward
Marking the 20-year anniversary of Chris Giauque’s disappearance, in August 2023, a billboard was erected in Laytonville and remained in place for nearly a year. The billboard displayed a photograph of Chris along with information regarding the $400,000 reward being offered for information leading to resolution of the case.
That same month, Redheaded Blackbelt published two extensive articles detailing Chris’ disappearance, the long-running investigation, and the continuing efforts to generate new leads in the case.
Chris’ Father Attempts to Contact the State Attorney General Again and the FBI
In 2024, a USPS priority mail letter was sent to the California Attorney Generals’ private residence. Chris’ father was requesting again that his department take over Chris’ homicide case.
Later, still in 2024, Chris’ father met with two agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Santa Rosa for approximately 20 minutes regarding Chris’ disappearance and homicide case. Chris was on federal probation at the time he went missing, which the father believed gave the FBI an additional basis for involvement in the matter. During the meeting, one agent took notes but refused to identify himself. The supervising female agent stated that she would contact private investigator, Dawn King, for follow-up discussions. No contact was ever made with PI, Dawn King.
Chris’ Father Meets with the Head Sheriff of Mendocino County and Requests State Cadaver Dogs Search the Spyrock Property and Sheriff Agreed to the Request
Early in April 2026, Chris’ father had a private meeting with the current head sheriff of Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The property that Chris had previously owned on Spyrock had been sold at the end of September 2025 to new owners. The new owners had previously told PI, Dawn King that she and Chris’ father were welcome to go onto the property. The sheriff was provided with this information. The sheriff stated that he would grant the request to have cadaver dogs supplied by the State of California brought onto the property.
The father was also deeply concerned about one former deputy of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office whom he believed had been corrupt. That deputy, a lieutenant, had retired from the department approximately one year earlier.
Private Investigator Interacted with the MCSO Head Sheriff and No Search by Cadaver Dogs Will Occur
Two days later, Dawn King provided the head sheriff with the facts. The ex-deputy’s 2025 GMC Sierra 2500HD pickup truck had been seen during December 2025 parked on the road outside Scott McKinney’s residence in Fort Bragg. During February 2026, the same ex-deputy’s pickup truck was at Ben Lomax’s residence in Talmage. The license plate was photographed and Dawn established the fact that the vehicle was owned by the ex-deputy and his wife. The head sheriff was very protective of his ex-deputy and has refused to have any further communications with Chris’ father. No search by cadaver dogs has been scheduled and no response to the supplications has been received.
Chris Giauque Was Ahead of His Time
Chris Giauque was ahead of his time but operating on the wrong side of the law. Law enforcement has appeared determined to ignore his homicide and, in his father’s opinion, has simply been waiting for him to pass away. At that time, the case will become irrelevant.
Chris, given his legal battles with the sheriff’s office, was not likely to enter into quid pro quo arrangements. Apparently, the marijuana economy of these two counties has established a web of self-serving arrangements whereby all benefit from the illegal grows. For the growers, and Chris’ own partners, Chris’ stance about the legalization of marijuana was an inconvenience. Further, Chris made the mistake of investing much of his acquired wealth in land that he put into other people’s names. Those people had a vested interest in seeing him gone with no questions asked.
Father Has Lost Interest in Interacting with Law Enforcement
Chris’ father hammering of the issue, his search for his son’s remains; his appeals for justice have been a constant irritation. If anything happens to him, authorities–if there are any who do care about law and justice–will know what happened and where to look. At 89 years of age, Chris’ father has reluctantly given up hope that any meaningful assistance will ever come from law enforcement during his lifetime.