Hanford Man Says He Was Wrongfully Accused In Sea Lion Incident

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration sent out a press release after a dead sea lion was found, as the press release stated, decapitated on a Pacific Grove beach. NOAA also included a photo of a man on the beach accused of committing the crime. But as Fresno TV station KMPH is reporting, the man has spoken out and said he’s wrongfully accused. Here are some details (video also above):

Bietz says he learned about the flyer from a friend, who had seen his photo online. That’s when he says he immediately contacted the agency investigating the incident, the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement. 

“Luckily, that investigator, you know, he gave me an opportunity to speak to him to explain him exactly what happened and provide him, not just my side of the story, but evidence, to the contrary of what this woman claimed,” he said. 

Bietz says he and his daughter were visiting Point Pinos Beach in Pacific Grove when they noticed a dead sea lion on the sand.

As the report says, NOAA Fisheries says Bietz, who’s from Hanford, was told he has been cleared of any wrongdoing and the flier with his photo was removed from the bulletin. Here’s the updated info from NOAA (note that the U.S. Government shutdown is now in effect and could prevent any additional updates for the indefinite future):

Update as of September 30, 2025: The individual has been located, and it was determined that no marine mammal parts were removed from the beach. We thank the public for their help and concern in this matter.