Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 07/24/2009

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Terry Menshek - (707) 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Chief Deputy Spencer R. Brady

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

JURY FINDS MONTE RIO MAN GUILTY OF MURDER
IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that on July 16, 2009, a jury found Bret Arnold Matz guilty of the murder of his domestic partner, Robert August Guess. The jury also found a deadly weapon was used during the commission of the crime. He is facing a mandatory life sentence.

District Attorney Passalacqua stated, “Domestic violence is a serious threat to the health, safety and general welfare of this community. As this case illustrates, the District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to the vigorous prosecution of domestic violence cases. This guilty verdict sends a clear message that domestic violence within our community will not be tolerated.”

The decedent, Robert Guess, lived in a house in the hills above Monte Rio for more than a dozen years. About a year prior to his death, Guess began a live-in relationship with the defendant, Bret Arnold Matz. The two lived together in Guess’s home in Monte Rio until his death on, or about, January 2, 2009.

On January 2, 2009, Matz left the house and walked down the road to Monte Rio. He was very drunk and emotional. He entered a local boutique, sipping from a bottle of vodka, and told the shop owner that Guess was in a car accident and that he needed a ride to Guerneville. After passing out in the store for a time, he woke up and admitted to the shop owner that he killed Guess with a lamp. The shop owner notified the Monte Rio Fire Department, who promptly conducted a welfare check.

Guess was found dead in his bed with significant head injuries. An autopsy determined that Guess died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries to his head. It was determined that Guess had been struck multiple times with a heavy lamp.

At the same time as the welfare check on Guess, Matz was contacted by fire personnel on Middle Terrace Drive. Matz was seen trying to climb on, or over, a guardrail adjacent to the roadway which was next to a steep drop off (estimated at about 30 feet). Matz fell from the guardrail back onto the roadway. After being contacted by fire personnel, Matz made numerous statements about killing Robert. Sheriff’s deputies arrived shortly thereafter and placed Matz under arrest.

A firefighter, who drove with Matz in the ambulance to Sutter Hospital, heard Matz say, “Someone else had my man, and if I couldn’t have him then I had to kill him.” One Sheriff’s Deputy who guarded Matz heard him say, “This isn’t probation . . .this is for real . . . murder, murder is for real.”

Matz was medically examined by the emergency room doctor at Sutter Hospital prior to being taken to the Sheriff’s Department. Matz reported he killed Guess, but that they were fighting each other. Matz claimed to have received injuries to his head and lower back, however, a CT scan of Matz’s head and x-rays of his lower back did not indicate any injury.

The jury found Matz guilty of second degree murder and found the deadly weapon allegation to be true. In a subsequent court trial, the defendant’s prior strike conviction for arson was found to be true, which can have the effect of doubling his sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2009.

The case was tried before the Honorable Judge Julie Conger and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Robert Waner. The lead detective was Violent Crimes Detective Joseph Dulworth of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution was assisted by District Attorney Investigator Tim Dempsey.