Police Arrest Raven Chanel Dixon of Alameda County – Currently Held in Santa Clara County’s Elmwood Correctional Facility Without Bail
December 21, 2012 at 10:11AM (Follow Cody S Investigations on Facebook to received updates on the Raveesh Kumra / Monte Sereno Homicide –> Click Here)
Early this morning, Cody S Investigations was contacted by a confidential source claiming that an arrest has been made in relation to the investigation of the death of Raveesh “Ravi” Kumra in what police initially claimed was a “home invasion” type offense resulting in the death of Kumra in the early morning hours of November 30.
Cody S Investigations has learned that “Raven Chanel Dixon” of Alameda County was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on Wednesday (December 19, 2012). Dixon is currently in custody and being held without bail. Essentially, this means the court is not allowing her to post bail. This occurs as a result of a number of factors, which can include the severity of the charges, whether the individual is a flight risk, and a number of other factors.
Subsequent to Wednesday’s booking, Dixon was transferred to Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas, California where she awaits an arraignment scheduled for this afternoon (Dec. 21) at 1:30PM in the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
An official with the Santa Clara County Department of Corrections (the agency responsible for overseeing Elmwood correctional facility and the other Santa Clara County jail facilities) confirmed that Dixon is currently in custody and being held without bail.
The official provided the specific charges upon which Dixon was booked:
1) CA Health & Safety Code Section 11352 (possession for sale of a controlled substance)
2) CA Penal Code Section 32 (accessory to a felony after the fact)
3) CA Penal Code Section 647(b) (engaging in or solicitation of prostitution)
4) WARRANT OUT OF ALAMEDA COUNTY – CA Vehicle Code Section 12500 (driving without current registration)
5) WARRANT OUT OF ALAMEDA COUNTY – CA Penal Code Section 647 (f) (public intoxication)
With budget crises and inmate overpopulation plaguing Santa Clara County, it would be rare for a person charged with these offenses to be held without allowing for any bail, absent another motive by law enforcement (i.e. another, potentially more serious, investigation). As such, the fact that Dixon is being held without bail may suggest Wednesday’s arrest is something more than just a possession for sale of narcotics and prostitution case.
When asked why Dixon was being held without bail, the Department of Corrections official indicated that Dixon was being held pursuant to CA Penal Code Section 1275. PC 1275 is a law that provides authority to hold an individual without bail where there is reason to believe the monies that would be used to post bail would come from unlawful means (i.e. where an individual is arrested for a drug crime and the police think the only way that person will be able to post bail would be to use drug money, this can be used as a means to prevent the person’s eligibility for bail). This is a penal code section that is often used by prosecutors to hold an individual in custody on less severe charges, while they attempt to get that person to “talk” / reveal information about a more serious offense. How this applies to Dixon is unknown, however my guess is they have articulated their reason for holding Dixon under PC 1275 as being that drug and/or prostitution proceeds would be the only source of bail funds. However, it is likely their underlying motive goes much deeper.
How the other charges relate the Kumra investigation is unknown. However, California Penal Code Section 32 / “accessory after the fact” provides that, “Every person who, after a felony has been committed, harbors, conceals or aids a principal in such felony, with the intent that said principal may avoid or escape from arrest, trial, conviction or punishment, having knowledge that said principal has committed such felony or has been charged with such felony or convicted thereof, is an accessory to such felony.” Whether the accessory charge against Dixon pertains to a more serious homicide related charge against another person is unknown.
Nonetheless, when an individual is charged with this section, this means there is a “principal” to the associated offense. For example, where a person is charged with accessory to commit a robbery, the “principal” would be the person who actually perpetrated the robbery and the accessory would be the person who assisted the principal after the robbery. It is extremely rare for PC 32 charges to be brought against someone without another “principal” / co-defendant being arrested. However, there is no indication that a third party / principal has been arrested in Dixon’s situation. This leads me to believe the PC 32 charge is being used as a means of getting Dixon to talk / the police likely believe that Dixon knows the identity of a principal and maybe the killer of Kumra. However, this is just speculation.
Further, a charge for Penal Code Section 32 is commonly brought against persons engaged in assisting the principal offender in a homicide or murder (i.e. the getaway driver, the person who harbors a murder suspect after the murder suspect commits the murder, etc.). Whether the accessory charge against Dixon is associated with any criminal homicide related offense is unknown.
As for the additional charges, oftentimes police and/or prosecutors will arrest an individual for unrelated and/or less severe charges in hopes that hailing that person into custody will reveal more information about the more serious charges / the target charges of the investigation. Perhaps Dixon was arrested on the less serious offenses with the hopes the arrest would result in Dixon providing information as to the principal. Perhaps not.
If the police believe a person perpetrated a murder but have not gathered sufficient evidence to formally arrest that individual for the homicide offense, they will sometimes be able to hold that individual on other charges or arrest the individual on outstanding warrants. If this is the case in Dixon’s arrest, then it remains to be seen what information, if any, the police will be able to acquire from Dixon.
The Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department has not made any statements as to this arrest and has not indicated or provided any information as to any suspect information in the Kumra Investigation aside from the initial police sketch released earlier this month.
Aside from the contact from the confidential source earlier this morning, Cody S Investigations has been privy to information over the past weeks regarding Kumra. This includes suggestions that Kumra had an affinity for female escorts and females in the sex industry. Further, sources have provided information to the effect that Kumra essentially befriended many of these women and cared for them emotionally and financially — oftentimes providing money to “get the girls back on their feet,” assist the women with getting an education, and help them get out of “the industry.”
The confidential source that contacted Cody S Investigations earlier today indicated that Dixon and Kumra had a longstanding relationship. Whether that relationship was more than platonic is unknown.
There is no indication whether Dixon is being represented by a private attorney in this matter or whether a public defender will be appointed. The arraignment is more of a formality than anything and it is unlikely Dixon will enter a plea today. When a person is held in custody/is not allowed bail, that person, by law, must be formally charged within 48-hours of the arrest or be released. In Dixon’s case, it is clear police and prosecutors are utilizing every minute of that 48-hour period as evidenced by today’s midday arraignment.
Individuals with information regarding the Kumra investigation are urged to contact Sgt. Mike D’Antonio with the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department at 408-827-3219 or 408-354-6843.
- Cody Salfen, Private Investigator
Cody Salfen is a California licensed private investigator and owns and operates Cody S Investigations (a California private investigation firm located in the Silicon Valley). Cody is a member of the California Association of Licensed Investigators, the Defense Investigators Association of California, the Professional Investigators Association of California, the National Council of Security and Investigation Services, and the World Association of Detectives. If you have any questions about this post, contact Cody at Cody@CodySInvestigations.com. Stay updated on developments in this case by following Cody S Investigations on Facebook.
Nice reporting Cody.