Willows teen found dead
Friends and family continue to mourn the sudden and still mysterious death of 16-year-old Cody Cole Carter of Willows.
Cody’s body was discovered in his bed by family members June 27 at their home on County Road O east of Willows. Glenn County Deputy Coroner Richard Warren said the cause of death remains unknown pending toxicology results that could take up to two months to process.
“It’s pretty much a mystery right now,” Warren said. “We just have no idea why this happened.”
Cody’s aunt, Colleen Ellis, said Cody was healthy and had no known medical conditions. “It’s just bizarre and sad,” she said.
Bill Carter, Cody’s father, choked back tears as he described the fishing trip they took together last month. The annual four-day expedition to Squaw Valley is a tradition started more than 60 years ago by Bill’s grandfather.
“There’s a rule that you have to be 18 years old,” Bill Carter said, “but I snuck him in anyway because I wanted to be with him – I’m real glad I did.” Cody caught about five rainbow trout, he said.
Cody attended Willows schools until he was about 13. After the seventh grade, Cody and his twin sister, Caylee, moved to Oroville with their mother, Deborah Rilley. Cody attended Oroville High School and was set to enter his junior year, Bill said.
Cody is the third son that Bill has lost to tragedy. His son Casey drowned in 1983 when he was 20 months old. Bill’s stepson, Brad Bennent, was 15 years old when he was killed in an off-road vehicle accident in 1997.
“And Cody just never woke up,” Bill said, again fighting back tears.
Siblings describe Cody as a sharp, fun-loving, typical teenager who loved fishing with his father most of all. He also enjoyed football, movies and video games.
“Cody is the one that got my fiancé into video games,” said Cody’s sister, Kim Carter, 29. “He apologized to me for it later. It was really cute.”
Kim laughed as she described her younger brother’s willingness to help his siblings with everyday tasks, even if he was “kind of lazy like a typical teenager.”
“He wouldn’t always follow through,” Kim said, “but he’d always ask, ‘Hey, let me know if you need anything.’”
Bill Carter said Cody was enthusiastic about technology and seemed to have a special knack for fixing electronic equipment.
“When we got the TV satellite put in, Cody went out and told the guy he was hooking it up wrong,” Bill said, laughing. Cody went on to install the dish himself as the technician stood by and watched, he said.
Cody planned a career in law enforcement, like most of the men in his family.
“There’s more than 140 years of California law enforcement experience in our family,” Bill, a former Willows police sergeant, said with pride. “And Cody wanted to be a part of that.”
Funeral services are set for 11 a.m. Monday at the First Assembly of God Church, 434 E. Wood St., Willows.
