Boyfriend of missing Placer County woman arrested, sheriff’s office says

(FOX40.COM) — After being identified as a person of interest in the case of a missing woman from Kings Beach in Placer County, a man has been arrested, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

Brent Clifford, 55, of Kings Beach was arrested in connection to an Aug. 11 murder in Reno.

Patricia Portella-Wright, 48, is believed to have last been heard from on Aug. 3 and the person last seen with her was Clifford, her boyfriend.

Placer County deputies said that just before 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Clifford was seen in Portola, a city in Plumas County about 50 miles northwest of Reno, Nevada, and was taken into custody with the help of the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.

“The vehicle Brent was believed to be driving, a red 2003 Blazer, was last spotted westbound on Highway 70 from Highway 395 at Hallelujah Junction which led investigators in the direction of Portola. That vehicle was located,” the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said.

The agency continued, “At this time, Patricia Portella-Wright remains missing.”

Portella-Wright is described as white, with blonde hair and brown eyes, standing at 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing around 125 pounds.

Portella-Wright was reported missing on Aug. 9 when she did not show up for work and is believed to be in the Reno area.

On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office shared that Clifford has also been listed as a person of interest by the Reno Police Department in connection to an Aug. 11 murder.

“Our investigators are working in collaboration with the Reno Police Department as we focus on the search for Portella-Wright and they work to solve their homicide,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

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