C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
– E S T. 18 51
– Weekend Edition – VOLUME 174 • ISSUE 84 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025
DARIN BLAKE MCFARLIN
Accused killer’s hearing delayed Chris Woodard
The photo was taken by Emmy award-winning journalist Casey Wannenberg who covered the story for News Channel Nebraska. Chris Belmer, left, walks a portion of the Cowboy Trail with her husband, Dr. Kevin Cornwell near Valentine, Neb., nearing the end of Cornwall’s 430-mile walk across the state last month.
The preliminary hearing for Darin McFarlin, a Cal Fire captain and Cal Fire law enforcement officer accused of killing his partner and her young son and attempting to kill another child, has been postponed. McFarlin was originally scheduled to appear in El Dorado County Superior Court on Oct. 17, but court records show the preliminary hearing has been delayed. A prepreliminary hearing is now set for Dec. 8 and will be the next event in the case. McFarlin, 47, pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment in El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Mark Ralphs’ courtroom in August. He faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder with special allegations that a firearm was used in the crimes. He also faces charges of domestic violence and child abuse. According to a criminal complaint filed by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, McFarlin allegedly attacked 29-year-old Marissa Herzog on Aug. 21 at the Cameron Park home they shared on Oakwood Road. After Herzog left their bedroom to use her
Walking the Cowboy Trail
Staff writer
■ See DELAY, page A4
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Placerville wanderer treks across home state Shelly Thorene Staff writer
P
lacerville resident and semi-retired California State University, Sacramento, geology professor Dr. Kevin Cornwell, 69 just finished a month-long, 430mile trek across Nebraska. The journey was a total of one million footsteps, according to his Fitbit. Why Nebraska? Five years ago Cornwell said he began thinking about returning to his home state to “experience the beauty slowly, not at 60-70 miles per hour on the interstate highway.” His wife Chris Belmer, also from Nebraska, several Nebraska friends and family formed a support team for his quest. Most people who have driven through Nebraska might think there’s nothing to see in the Cornhusker State besides miles and miles of soybeans and corn fields. That is far from the truth, Cornwell said, explaining the terrain 10 miles on either side of the interstate is a totally different experience. The eyes of a geologist viewed the land through the passage of time, the Ice Ages and millions of years of changes. “The prairie in Nebraska was once very similar to the Serengeti,” he said.
Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene
Courtesy photo
Left, Dr. Kevin Cornwell was joined by wife Chris Belmer, along with other friends and family, in the state during his trek across Nebraska. The Placerville couple are originally from Omaha. At right, Kevin Cornwell, 69, stands on a section of the 317-mile Cowboy Trail, part of the Great American Rail Trail, built upon the former right-of-way of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. The state’s name is Native American in origin and means “flat water,” referring to the Platte River. The journey began Aug. 26 on the shoulder of Highway 20 west of Harrison, Neb., near the Wyoming border.
The landscape surrounding Harrison is made up of windswept grassy plains and sits at an elevation of 4,876 above sea level. On most days, he started out around 7-7:30 in the morning and would stop when it got too
hot in the early afternoon. He averaged 15-17 miles a day. Cornwell was outfitted with a Garmin satellite GPS tracker, a Christmas gift from last year. “We made a plan every ■ See WALK, page A4
Animal Outreach ear-perking announces expansion plans Vicki Shapleton
Animal Outreach of the Mother Lode
A
nimal Outreach of the Mother Lode, a longtime no-kill animal shelter and community veterinary resource in El Dorado County and beyond, has announced plans to raise money to relocate and expand its operations to a larger facility to meet growing community demand. Founded in 1992, Animal Outreach is a nonprofit based in Diamond Springs. For more than 30 years, the organization has provided essential animal welfare services throughout Northern California — including low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, dental care, vaccination ■ See NONPROFIT, page A4
Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene
A pair of kittens are among dozens waiting to be adopted at Animal Outreach on Enterprise Drive in Diamond Springs. The nonprofit is seeking funds to lease or purchase a larger building as the current facility no longer serves the needs of the veterinary service and no-kill shelter.