Roger Neil Schmidt. Photo source: KRCR
This morning, Roger Neil Schmidt pled guilty to the charge of First-Degree Murder with special allegations, for the 1984 murder of 18-year-old Terry Arndt and the sexual assault of an 18-year-old confidential victim.
Roger Neil Schmidt
On December 14, 1984, Terry Arndt was fatally shot and a young woman was assaulted after an unknown man approached their parked car in Burney, prompting a long and difficult investigation that stretched over four decades.
On that night, Terry and the female victim were parked in his car talking on Mountain View Road, near Burney High School when Schmidt pulled up in a vehicle and shot Terry multiple times from behind. When the shooting started, Terry covered the female victim with his own body to protect her from being shot. Schmidt, armed with a gun, then pulled the female out of the car and sexually assaulted her multiple times. Schmidt then left the scene. With Terry badly hurt, the female drove the car, with Terry inside, for help. Terry was transported by medical crews to a local hospital, but he did not survive.
Despite early efforts, the case went cold until new DNA methods and forensic genealogy provided the breakthrough investigators needed. Testing connected evidence from the assault to Roger Neil Schmidt Sr., who had lived in Burney at the time of the murder. Shasta County Sergeants Richardson and Duncan with Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelly Kafel traveled to Tucson, Arizona in July of this year to obtain his DNA, which confirmed the match. After the match was confirmed, Schmidt was interviewed and confessed to all the charges, leading to his arrest for the murder and assault after years of uncertainty.
Mr. and Mrs. Arndt, Terry’s mom and dad were both present for the plea and were able to hear Schmidt say that he was guilty of murdering their son. The agreed upon sentence will be Life Without the Possibility of Parole. Schmidt has waived all appeal rights and will never be eligible for release.
Schmidt is scheduled for judgment and sentencing on December 16, 2025, in Department 24 at 2:00pm.
This case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelly Kafel and investigated by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. Special thanks to lead investigator Robert Richardson from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and the Tucson Police Department for their assistance with the investigation. The victims in this case are being supported by Senior Victim Advocate Robyn Reger.
