Shasta County Man Arrested for 2021 Homicide After Human Remains Discovered on Neighbor’s Property
- Kari Chilson
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
REDDING, Calif. — Nearly five years after James Redmill Sr. was reported missing from his home in the Trinity Alps Preserve area, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit has arrested a neighboring property owner in connection with his death.
Nicholas Allen Beery, 55, of Igo, was taken into custody on May 19, 2026, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence. Investigators located a buried set of human remains behind the home, which were later positively identified as Redmill Sr. Beery faces a charge of homicide under Penal Code 187, along with multiple firearm and drug-related charges. Special allegations include the use of a firearm causing death and lying in wait.
Redmill Sr.’s disappearance was first reported on July 20, 2021, at 11:12 a.m., when his son, James Redmill Jr., contacted SHASCOM. The family had traveled from Washington State after neighbors reported not seeing the elder Redmill for several days. He was last seen on or around July 8, 2021. Deputy Dyche initially responded to the missing persons report.
Neighbors also described suspicious activity at Redmill Sr.’s Wild Turkey Road property after he vanished, including the presence of unfamiliar vehicles and the removal of items from the residence. The case was deemed suspicious and assigned to the Major Crimes Unit under Detective Henderson. Despite exhaustive efforts, including standard missing persons protocols such as BOLO alerts, database entries into MUPS and NCIC, and interviews, no significant leads developed at the time.
In April 2026, the case was reassigned to Detectives Amanda Pruitt and Travis Williams. New information led investigators to focus on Beery’s neighboring property as a possible burial site.
On May 19, 2026, at approximately 7:07 a.m., a multi-agency team—including the Shasta County Interagency SWAT Team, Shasta Interagency Narcotics Task Force (SINTF), AB109/SAFE Team, and the District Attorney’s Office—served the search warrant. The Chico State Anthropology Department assisted in the careful recovery of the remains. During the search, detectives also seized multiple firearms, including illegal assault weapons and manufacturing components, as well as methamphetamine packaged for sale and drug paraphernalia.
Beery was booked into the Shasta County Jail and is being held without bail. His arraignment is scheduled for May 21, 2026.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit.
The Sheriff’s Office thanked the following agencies for their assistance: Shasta County Interagency SWAT Team, Shasta Interagency Narcotics Task Force, AB109/SAFE Team, Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, Chico State Anthropology Department, Shasta County Public Works, and CAL FIRE.
Case # 21S023793
This case highlights the persistence of cold case investigations and the value of new tips in bringing long-awaited answers to families.
