PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A Placer County murder suspect is the son of Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford.
Brent Chandler Clifford, 55, who is in custody at South Placer County Jail and faces a murder charge, is the drummer’s son, according to Brent Clifford’s Facebook page, public records, reference website Prabook and people who knew him.
Multiple attempts to contact Clifford’s family members by phone and text message, including Doug Clifford himself, were left unanswered.
"Right now, detectives are working to interview anybody that might have information on what occurred; friends, family members, acquaintances," said Placer County Sheriff's Office spokesman active Lt. Dave Smith in a Thursday press conference. "Our investigations unit does as good of a job as they possibly can to discover any information that might lead to the information about what happened."
ABC10 previously reported Clifford is a person of interest in both the case of missing Kings Beach woman 48-year-old Patricia Portella-Wright and a recent Reno homicide. A body found Thursday morning off Mount Rose Highway in Washoe County, Nevada, was tentatively identified to be that of Portella-Wright, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
"There is apparent foul play involved," Smith said.
Portella-Wright was Clifford’s girlfriend, according to law enforcement. Deputies believe she was last seen with him Sunday, Aug. 4. She was then reported missing Friday, Aug. 9.
The Reno Police Department said officers responded Sunday to the 1300 block of Keystone Avenue in Reno and found the body of a man who was shot and killed. He was later identified as 68-year-old William Andrews.
The two bodies were found roughly 26 miles apart.
Law enforcement said they believe Clifford drove Andrews’ red 2003 Chevrolet Blazer for some time after his death. The vehicle was last reported to be traveling westbound on Highway 70, according to the Placer deputies.
Clifford was arrested Wednesday in Portola, Plumas County.
He was booked into South Placer County Jail around 5:45 a.m. Thursday and is ineligible for bail, jail records show. He also faces a identity theft charge related to the ongoing homicide case, Smith said.
Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted in 1993 by Bruce Springsteen into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The popular rock band formed in 1959 in the Bay Area town of El Cerrito, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
In interviews, Doug Clifford has said he lives in the Lake Tahoe area.
