Brent Clifford, the son of former Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford, has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Patricia Portella-Wright, after her remains were found near a Nevada highway on Thursday. Clifford, 55, is also a person of interest in a separate killing that occurred 26 miles away.
Meanwhile, Placer County Sheriff’s Office in a X post said, ” Today, (8/14/2024) just before 4 pm Brent Clifford was spotted in Portola by investigators working the case.Clifford was taken into custody with the help of the Plumas County Sheriff’s office. He’s being held on an active warrant.”

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that officers discovered what they believe to be the remains of 48-year-old Portella-Wright on an embankment off Mount Rose Highway. Her body was initially spotted by a drone, and a final determination from the coroner is still pending. Clifford has been charged with homicide and is being held at the South Placer County Jail without bail.
Additionally, Reno police have named Clifford as a person of interest in the killing of 68-year-old William Andrews, who was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in a residential neighborhood on Sunday. Authorities say Clifford left the scene driving Andrews’ red 2004 Chevrolet Blazer, which was later found when Clifford was arrested in Portola, California, by a team of officers from the Reno Police Department, Placer County, and Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.
Clifford’s father, Doug Clifford, co-founded Creedence Clearwater Revival with John and Tom Fogerty, and Stu Cook. The band released several critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums during the Vietnam War era, known for their heartland rock and socially conscious lyrics. Their 1969 hit “Fortunate Son” was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2013 for its cultural and historical significance.
Creedence Clearwater Revival was active from 1959 to 1972, with a few limited reunions in the 1980s before legal disputes and personal animosities caused the band to part ways. When the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, lead singer John Fogerty refused to play with Clifford or Cook, highlighting the enduring tensions between the band members.