San Joaquin Sheriff Stands By Handling Of Hobson's Remains

FRENCH CAMP (CBS13) - The mother who received her murdered daughter's remains mixed with other human remains is reacting to the sheriff of San Joaquin County.

The Sheriff Steve Moore held a hastily called news conference a day after I set up camp at his office to get answers.

We played the entire press conference for JoAnn Hobson's family, and they say they still don't believe the sheriff, who, at this point, still isn't admitting he and his department made a mistake.

"No, I'm not calling this a mistake," said Moore.

"He knows a mistake's been made, anytime you get a professional report from a professional scientific lab, you know there's a mistake been made," said Hobson's mother Joan Shelley.

Results from Chico State's highly respected program specializing in forensic anthropology aren't for Moore to see a monumental mistake made or any at all. He's waiting for further results.

"Wow, just wow. How can you know? Admit there was a mistake made," Hobson's sister Michelle Loftis said.

The sheriff's department returned remains identified as Hobson to family weeks ago. But her mother didn't trust the results, and sent them to Chico for testing.

Experts determined Hobson's remains were mixed with other victims, including a child aged 5 to 14.

Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani says the sheriff needs to take responsibility.

"It's the excuse of it's the Department of Justice, and now it's 'I have to look at the reports from the two anthropologists,' " said Galgiani.

"What I want to say to JoAnn Hobson's mother is, I have great sympathy for her," said Moore. "I understand the fact that it does look terrible at this point, and I won't disagree with you."

However, that brings little comfort to a family who feels they are being victimized all over again.

"I think a lot of people are lying," said Shelley. "I think they are lying. They are hiding stuff."

"Shame on him for treating my family this way," Hobson's sister Sandra Hoyopatubbi said.

The sheriff did say after they gain all the facts they need, if indeed they made a mistake, they will admit it. But, Hobson's family, and the families of so many other possible victims, is tried of waiting.