California lobbyist found dead; Placer County deputies shot her adopted son at Loomis home
Authorities are investigating the deaths of a California lobbyist and her boyfriend after their 19-year-old adopted son ran out of their Loomis home with a handgun and was shot by Placer County sheriff’s deputies.
Deputies on Monday launched an extensive search and found the suspect, later identified as Dennis Lynch, in a nearby gated community, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday afternoon in a news release.
Sheriff’s officials said Lynch was still armed with a gun when deputies confronted him. One or more deputies shot him. Deputies “immediately rendered aid to Lynch” until medics arrived, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Lynch suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting and taken to a hospital. Sheriff’s officials said Lynch’s criminal charges were pending.
Lynch’s parents, Kathy Lynch, 67, and Gerald Upholt, 80, were found dead at the Lake Forest Drive home in Loomis. Deputies were called to the home about 10 a.m. Monday after someone reported they had not heard from their employer in a few days.
Deputies arrived at the home and knocked on the door, but received no answer at the door. The deputies tried asking for someone inside to come to the door until they smelled a foul odor coming from behind the door, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The deputies worked on a plan to enter the home and obtained a search warrant, when the adult son came out armed with a handgun and ran into a forested area, sheriff’s officials said.
While deputies searched for Lynch, other deputies entered the home and found the victims’ bodies. Sheriff’s officials said deputies, at that time, were searching for a suspect in connection with a double homicide.
Shortly after, deputies spotted Lynch in a field on Lomida Lane, but he ran from deputies again. Sheriff’s officials said Lynch eventually made his way into a gated community off Auburn Folsom Road. There, deputies confronted Lynch and shot him. The deputies were not injured during the incident.
The Golden State Bail Agents Association said it was “shocked and saddened” to learn of the deaths of its lobbyist Kathryn Lynch and her boyfriend, Jerry Upholt.
“On behalf of GSBAA, I wish to express our sorrow and sympathy over the tragic murder of our lobbyist Kathryn Lynch and her boyfriend Jerry Upholt,” Albert Ramirez, the bail agents group’s president, said in a news release Tuesday. “Our hearts and deepest condolences go out to their family and friends. Kathy was a brilliant lobbyist and her devotion to her profession and the institution of government was second to none. We are greatly honored to have worked with her and have her as part of our family.”
Lynch ran a Sacramento-based lobbyist firm, Lynch & Associates, which was started in 1985 to provide government and consulting services in California. The firm’s clients included hunting organizations such as the Outdoor Sportsmens Coalition of California and California Sportsman’s Lobby Inc., as well as the American Forest and Paper Association, California Alliance for Arts Education and the California Language Teachers Association.
This story was originally published March 29, 2022 at 2:25 PM.
