"Maybe there is a serial killer that is killing all these people or something, all these missing people."

That theory — with little support — comes about 10 minutes into the new Netflix series "Murder Mountain," which examines the high rate of missing persons in Humboldt County. And while Humboldt has led the state in such reports, many, including the county sheriff, say the way their region is depicted on the show is highly sensationalized.

In a lengthy Facebook post last week, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office attempted to combat the narrative, saying the producers relied on "unofficial and biased sources" to depict the county where people vanish and are never found. According to the department, which was interviewed throughout the documentary, the entire premise of the show changed after filming began.

"The original plot line of this series, as presented to the Sheriff's Office upon consideration of our participation, was to examine the changes in the county as a result of marijuana legalization, highlight the challenges of law enforcement in rural jurisdictions, and present a historic comparison of the county's 'green rush' and timber rushes," wrote the Sheriff's Department. "At some point during their time in Humboldt County, the producers of 'Murder Mountain' decided to change the scope of the series to focus on the ongoing homicide investigation of Garret Rodriguez."

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The six-episode series is centered around a San Diego-area man who went missing near the town of Garberville in southern Humboldt, a little over an hour's drive through the redwoods south of the county seat of Eureka, and the college town of Arcata. The name Murder Mountain refers to the Rancho Sequoia area east of Garberville, and the name reportedly dates back to a 1982 killing in the area. Sheriffs' deputies even use the nickname early in the series.

The show delves into how Rodriguez - who went missing around the start of 2013 - hoped to earn some quick cash on Murder Mountain in the then-illegal cannabis industry. The department said they can't address specific questions on the open case into Rodriguez's death, but did bullet-point five main disputes with the way the department was characterized, including information on their homicide case closure rate. You can read those here.

The office concluded the note: "Finally, as all things in Hollywood, please know that 'Murder Mountain' is a Hollywood manufactured drama based on a true story. It was designed to be sold to Netflix for a profit. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office was not paid to be part of this series and participated out of our commitment to transparency."

The post has been shared over 550 times, and over 200 commenters took sides on the issue.

"I live nearby and the sherrifs (sic) definitely have been doing their job in rancho. The good people up there need to help them," wrote one.

"Maybe with this coverage we will get some answers, I pray!" wrote another.

The documentary itself suggests that the isolated nature of Humboldt may make it more attractive to runaways and others hoping to get off the grid, at least temporarily. A 2018 report from the Lost Coast Outpost notes that while Humboldt does lead the state in reports of missing persons, it's also among the best at finding people who disappear.

The publication further points out that not all missing persons reports are serious criminal cases, noting the incident last year where a woman reported by her mother as missing in Humboldt was actually appearing on 'The Bachelorette" reality show.

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Sheriffs admit that the secretive nature of the illegal marijuana trade has made people guarded against law enforcement, telling the North Coast Journal that, "No one wants to cooperate with a missing persons investigation."

Of course, it's possible that the transition to legal cannabis will remove some of that desire for secrecy moving forward, but that is likely of little consolation to the families of Rodriguez and others on the state database of missing persons.

Anyone with information on missing persons - or potential serial killers - is encouraged to call local law enforcement or the California Department of Justice at 1-800-222-3463.

A Lost Coast Outpost review of the series has more on what producers "got wrong." Those wishing to judge the series for themselves can stream it online now.