Three Laytonville slaying suspects reach plea deal

Three of seven men charged with the murder of a Laytonville marijuana farmer last year have entered plea bargains requiring them to testify when the case goes to trial.

A preliminary hearing for the remaining four men suspected of stabbing and beating to death Jeffrey Quinn Settler, 35, was this week in Mendocino County Superior Court.

Lawyers for Michael Andrew Kane, 24, of Pleasantville, New York; Gary Blank III, 34, of Garberville; Jesse Wells, 33, of Laytonville; and Frederick Gaestel, 27, of Clifton, New Jersey will make final arguments before Judge John Behnke Sept. 7.

On Monday, Zachary Ryan Wuester, 24, of Haskell, New Jersey; Gary Lynn Fitzgerald, 23, of Roanoke, Illinois; and Abdirahman Mohamed, 28, of San Diego, admitted robbery charges carrying a maximum nine years in prison each. They all agreed to testify for prosecutors.

Settler was slain on the remote property Nov. 11. Most of the suspects were believed to have been working for his pot-growing operation at the time.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 707-568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com.

On Twitter @ppayne.