OROVILLE, Calif. — A tree trimmer in rural Northern California has been charged in throat-slashing serial killings that left three people dead and others injured.
Charges were filed Wednesday against Ryan Scott Blinston, 37, of Oroville. Prosecutors allege Blinston worked for a tree-trimming service in May and June of 2020 when he slashed the throats of an 88-year-old Loreen Severs, 82-year-old Sandra George and 57-year-old Vicky Cline. He's also accused of slashing the throat of Severs' husband, Homer Severs, who survived the attack but died later in 2021 from unrelated causes.
Blinston was already in jail for an attempted murder charge before the three additional murder and another attempted murder charges were delivered. He was arrested in June 2020 after he allegedly slashed the throat of an acquaintance, who survived.
When Blinston was arrested last year, authorities say he was trying to smash in a door with a hatchet to finish killing the man whose throat he had already slashed.
A prosecutor says the arrival of a SWAT team to make the arrest saved the man. Officials say he would have become the fourth victim of a man they call a serial killer.
He has been in Butte County Jail being held without bail since his arrest.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey and Tehama County District Attorney Matt Rogers said in a joint press release the multi-murder complaint would allow both offices "to seek a Life without Possibility of Parole sentence for Blinston."
“Through the combined efforts of law enforcement agencies in both Tehama and Butte Counties, we will be able to seek justice for the victims and ensure no one else will be harmed,” Ramsey and Rogers said in the joint press release.
Blinston didn't enter a plea at his arraignment Thursday. Authorities say they have no motive for the attacks.
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