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New suspect arrested in connection with 2019 killing

Thomas Frey
Mountain Democrat

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies arrested 40-year-old Justin Kremer Thursday after following up on new evidence regarding the 2019 death of Pleasant Valley woman Heather Gumina-Waters.

Justin Kremer

Kremer, who has a South Lake Tahoe address, is suspected of being an accessory in Gumina-Waters’ disappearance and alleged murder, according to sheriff’s officials. His bail has been set at $395,000 on the felony accessory charge.

Gumina-Waters’ husband Anthony Gumina was arrested in September 2019 and subsequently charged with five felonies, including murder in the first degree; he is currently awaiting trial.



No further details have been released regarding Kremer’s involvement.

Heather Gumina-Waters was reported missing by her family on July 19, 2019. For nearly two months volunteers, friends and family searched for the 33-year-old mother of three.



Sheriff’s investigators say her vehicle was found somewhere in El Dorado County Aug. 9, 2019, although its exact location was not disclosed.

Authorities initially arrested Anthony Gumina “on an outstanding, no-bail warrant for domestic violence” in the wake of a domestic violence case where he was suspected to have broken Heather Gumina-Waters’ collarbone.

Simultaneously a search warrant was carried out in Pleasant Valley and that’s when Gumina-Waters’ remains were found.

The District Attorney’s 2019 criminal complaint filed against Anthony Gumina alleged that Heather Gumina-Waters was murdered because she “was a witness to a crime and was intentionally killed to prevent her from testifying in criminal proceedings.”

Anthony Gumina’s next court appearance will be at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 23, in Department 7 of El Dorado County Superior Court.


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