Dave Beavers

Dave Beavers was a deputy in the Mariposa Sheriff's Department and a friend of Ron Van Meter. He was part of the search party for Van Meter after his alleged boating accident on Lake McClure. Beavers was one of the deputies who believed Van Meter was murdered after uncovering drug trafficking within the sheriff's department.¹

Beavers, a fifteen-year veteran of the sheriff's department, was ultimately forced out of the department and retired on stress leave. He later became involved with D.I.G. (Decency in Government), an organization formed by deputies and grand jurors to expose corruption in Mariposa County.¹

He was present at the scene of the "Queen's accident" on March 5, 1983, when a Mariposa County Sheriff's vehicle collided head-on with a Secret Service car. Beavers was the first deputy to arrive and maintained that he was aware of Roderick Sinclair's drugged condition at the time. However, when questioned by James White, he was not asked about the drugs, as White had been ordered to drop the criminal investigation and avoid the drug aspect of the case.¹

Beavers, along with Ben Wagner and others, stood in front of the Fresno FBI building while being interviewed by Channel 3 Sacramento News. On camera, Beavers recalled observing deputies carrying packages of drugs from the Gold Coin Saloon and placing them in their patrol car.¹