North California's Central Valley is known for its wide open farmland, the hum of irrigation pumps in the distance, and long summer nights that seem to stretch forever.

In about 40 miles north of Sacramento, where the Feather River bends and the land runs flat as far as you can see, you'll find Yuba City in Marysville, two neighboring towns separated

by a bridge and a river. Yuba City is orchard country, peaches, plums, rice fields that catch the light

in the early morning, and rising out of nowhere from the flat valley floor, the Sutter Buttes,

a compact cluster of volcanic peaks

that seems like they landed in the wrong place. People call them the smallest mountain range in the

world. And just across the river is Marysville, with its older brick buildings, coffee shops that

know your name, and a tight-knit community where everyone seems

connected in some way. In small counties like Sutter, things overlap. That closeness can be comforting,

but when something goes wrong, it can complicate things too. On August 16, 2015, just before

sunrise, the stillness of a Yuba City neighborhood was broken

by a 911 call. Inside the bedroom of one of those quiet homes, a 31-year-old mother of three

had been shot in the head. And almost immediately, her death was labeled a suicide. But over the years, as more details surfaced, the community began asking a question that still hasn't gone away.

Did this woman really take her own life?

Or was something else going on beneath the surface?

This episode contains discussions of suicide, gun violence,

alleged domestic violence, and sexual misconduct allegations. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

I'm Ashley. And I'm Ricky. And this is crime salad.

Just after sunrise in Marysville, patrol units were already moving through the quiet

grid of 4th Street.

At 6.17 a.m., an officer from Sutter County was dispatched to ride out hospital regarding

a coroner's investigation. He was met by hospital

...