Two brothers have been arrested on suspicion of killing three men who allegedly tried to steal plants from their medical marijuana garden in Northern California, authorities said Wednesday.

Deputies responded about 9:20 a.m. Tuesday to a property in the 1400 block of South Rail Road in Rail Road Flat, nearly 70 miles east of Sacramento, and found three men lying on the ground dead, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office. The men’s names have not been released.

Investigators later learned that Leon Michael Grammer, 38, came across the three men on his property as they were reportedly trying to steal marijuana plants from his garden, deputies said. Grammer called his brother, Jeremiah Lee Barrett, for back up, authorities said.

Meanwhile, Grammer retrieved a firearm and fired several shots at the men, the sheriff’s office said. Barrett, 30, of Jackson arrived at his brother’s property and confronted the three men, deputies said.


The men were running on the roadway when Barrett shot them with a shotgun, the sheriff’s office said.

Grammer was taken into custody on suspicion of being an accessory to the crime and conspiracy. Barrett was booked into county jail in connection with murder and conspiracy.

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