Man sentenced for killing elderly woman and fatally shooting 2 people he asked to retrieve the body

LAKEHEAD, Calif. (TCN) -- A man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing three people, including an elderly woman whose body he placed into an SUV and dumped in a remote area.

The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office said in a March 26 news release that Michael Merryman received three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 126 years to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to the murders of 75-year-old Pamela Castleberry, 41-year-old Cynthia Duran, and 48-year-old Louis Sanchez.

According to prosecutors, On April 26, 2024, Merryman broke into Castleberry’s home while she wasn’t there. When the victim returned, the defendant shot her in the head and then stole guns, jewelry, and other items. To hide his crimes, authorities say Merryman cleaned up the blood and placed Castleberry’s body into her car. She was found in her vehicle several days later on a remote property in Bella Vista.

The following month, Merryman asked two people he didn’t know, Duran and Sanchez, to help him get Castleberry’s car. He wasn’t aware the vehicle had already been found. When Merryman, Duran, and Sanchez arrived at the remote location, the defendant saw Castleberry and her SUV were gone.

According to the district attorney’s office, Duran and Sanchez "locked themselves in the cab of the truck to get away from Merryman but were unable to escape," and Merryman fatally shot them through the window. Merryman reportedly took their bodies out and set them ablaze before stealing Duran’s dog "Bamb Bamb" and driving off in her truck.

Merryman crashed the vehicle shortly after, leaving the dog inside, and then went into a wooded area. Prosecutors noted that the dog was recovered unharmed. Following an "exhaustive hunt," authorities found Merryman and took him into custody on May 22, 2024.

According to the district attorney’s office, Castleberry’s family members and friends spoke at the defendant’s sentencing, sharing "emotional statements."

Her stepson reportedly said, "My family and I loved Pam. Pam was a friendly, gentle, and caring person. As for the defendant, you murdered my mom and two other precious souls, Cynthia and Louis. You subjected them to unspeakable terror and stole their lives from them, for nothing. You robbed them of the joy of seeing their children, grandchildren grow and flourish. Your actions brought great pain on many of us who knew and loved them."

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