Following a month-long investigation into a grim discovery along SR-35, a Boulder Creek man has been detained on suspicion of double murder, a development that showcases the intricate and somber work done by local law enforcement to solve violent crimes. The CHP Golden Gate Division announced, through a social media post, the arrest of 66-year-old James David Collier after two bodies were found in a pickup truck in the Santa Cruz mountains, bearing the wounds of fatal gunshots.
The case began on March 24, when CHP officers from the San Jose Area were called to a scene near 17000 SR-35, where they discovered an abandoned vehicle containing the bodies of two deceased men. This event triggered an intensive investigation. Detectives from the CHP's Golden Gate Division Special Investigations Unit led the inquiry, gathering forensic evidence with support from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. Their collaborative efforts ultimately identified a suspect.
On April 9, a coordinated operation involving a CHP SWAT team and additional units executed a search warrant at the suspect's known residence in Santa Cruz County, uncovering critical evidence that led the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office to file a criminal complaint.
The suspect, Collier, was apprehended without incident yesterday by CHP detectives and a Special Weapons and Tactics team. Following his arrest, Collier was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail.
