Calaveras County triple slaying linked to marijuana theft attempt

Jeremiah Lee Barrett, 30, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of gunning down three trespassers discovered in a medical marijuana garden on his brother's property in Calaveras County. Jeremiah Lee Barrett, 30, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of gunning down three trespassers discovered in a medical marijuana garden on his brother's property in Calaveras County. Photo: Calavares County Sheriff Photo: Calavares County Sheriff Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Calaveras County triple slaying linked to marijuana theft attempt 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Three men were shot dead after being confronted for trespassing on a medical marijuana garden in Calaveras County, police said Wednesday.

Sheriff’s deputies discovered the bodies Tuesday morning after getting called to the property near the town of Railroad Flat by someone reporting the triple shooting, said Sgt. Anthony Eberhardt a spokesman with the county’s sheriff’s office.

Leon Michael Grammer, 38, who owns the property, found at least three men trespassing on the land early Tuesday morning who “were allegedly stealing marijuana from a medical marijuana garden that was located on the property,” Eberhardt said.

Grammer called his 30-year-old brother, Jeremiah Lee Barrett, and told him to come to the property, according to Eberhardt. Grammer fetched a gun and allegedly fired several shots at the trespassers, scaring them off, Eberhardt said.

When Barrett arrived, he confronted the trespassers running on a road near his brother’s and allegedly blasted them with a shotgun, according to Eberhardt.

The investigation is ongoing.

Barrett was arrested on suspicion of murder and conspiracy, Eberhardt said. He was being held on $2.5 million bail. His brother was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory and conspiracy, and was being held on $30,000 bail.

Anyone with information on the incident can call the sheriff’s office at (209) 754-6030.

Hamed Aleaziz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @haleaziz