The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office in Crescent City, California.
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A Northern California sheriff’s deputy was found dead Thursday and her boyfriend is suspected of killing her, the department she worked for said Friday.
Del Norte County Deputy Deanna Esmaeel was discovered Thursday at her home on North Bank Road in Crescent City after a colleague was dispatched to a welfare check. Wild Rivers Outpost reported that coworkers became concerned when she didn’t show up for work and didn’t return subsequent calls.
Esmaeel was the mother of actor Marty York, best known for his role as Alan “Yeah-Yeah” McClennan in the 1993 film “The Sandlot.” Esmaeel also had her own career in Hollywood; Her IMDb page shows that she worked on sets primarily as an animal trainer for several decades. She recently transitioned into law enforcement, joining the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office in 2021. “It’s time for me to take everything I’ve learned in my life and help other people,” Esmaeel said at the time.
Investigators identified Daniel James Walter, 54, as Esmaeel’s boyfriend and the suspect in her murder, according to a press release from the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office. After a brief search for Walter, he was taken into custody Friday in Curry County, Oregon.
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“This is the hardest post I’ve ever had to write, but I found out from the sheriff last night that my mother was murdered by a man she was dating,” York wrote on Instagram. “The feelings I have at the moment are terrible between anger, revenge and crying.”
Walter, who police say legally changed his name to Edward Patrick Davies in July, is currently in custody in Del Norte County. Jail records show he is being held on $1 million bail and is facing murder charges. “At this time we cannot release any further details as this is an ongoing homicide investigation,” the sheriff’s office said.
According to Del Norte County court records, Walter was charged with criminal trespassing in March. It is not clear whose apartment he is accused of having unlawful entry to.
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“We are all deeply heartbroken over the loss of Deputy Esmaeel,” Del Norte County Sheriff Garrett Scott said in a statement. “Our hearts and prayers go out to her family, friends and colleagues.”