Man held in Calif. homeless slaying; serial killer link eyed
19 replies, posted
[release]ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mourners wept and placed flowers Saturday at the scene of the latest stabbing death of a homeless man in Orange County, and people who knew the victim said he had feared for his safety as police recently sought a serial killer suspected in the slayings.Police detained a man in connection with Friday night's killing in Anaheim but investigators didn't say if there were any links to the deaths of three other homeless men.The dead man, described by friends as a Vietnam War veteran in his 60s named John, was found between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the parking lot of a Carl's Jr. fast-food restaurant at the intersection of La Palma Avenue and Imperial Highway in Anaheim, police said.
Marilyn Holland, an Anaheim resident who befriended the victim and regularly brought him oatmeal raisin cookies, said he was uncharacteristically nervous since police warned him to stay vigilant in the days after the killings began.
"He told me he thought he was being followed," Holland said. "I told him after pay day I was going to get him a cell phone, so he could call 911 if anything happened. Normally he would refuse help but he was willing to accept the phone because he was scared." Holland was paid Friday but never got the phone to her friend.
Several witnesses reported an assault in progress, and officers arrived to find the homeless man dead near a trash bin in the restaurant parking lot. Witnesses followed a man who ran from the lot and led police to him, Anaheim police Sgt. Bob Dunn said.
"We were having dinner in the area and saw about 40 police cars scream into the parking lot. I ran over and hugged my friend, screaming, 'Please tell me it's not John!' But it was," Holland said, fighting back tears.Police set up a large containment area at the crime scene in a search for the killer and scoured nearby neighborhoods, including a mobile home park, Dunn said.The suspect was identified by Anaheim police as Itzcoatl Ocampo, 23, of Yorba Linda. He was held without bail for suspicion of murder, Dunn said.
A police bloodhound later traced the scent from Ocampo's belongings back to the scene where the attack occurred, about ten miles northeast of the Disneyland Resort, authorities said.A task force of law enforcement officers from Anaheim, Placentia, Brea, Orange County Sheriff's Department and the FBI was formed to investigate the killings of three other homeless men found stabbed to death in north Orange County since mid-December.
James Patrick McGillivray, 53, was killed near a shopping center in Placentia on Dec. 20; Lloyd Middaugh, 42, was found near a riverbed trail in Anaheim on Dec. 28; and Paulus Smit, 57, was killed outside a Yorba Linda library on Dec. 30.Police suspect all three were victims of a serial killer. It was not known if the latest death was connected to the other killings, but the task force is investigating any possible links.
Authorities declined to speculate if Ocampo was behind the earlier homeless slayings, but Anaheim Deputy Chief Craig Hunter acknowledged that "in a very general sense" he matched the physical description of a person suspected in the killings.Police had released grainy photographs captured from surveillance video that show a male suspect dressed in dark clothing. A white, late-model Toyota Corolla was also a vehicle of interest.
Authorities planned an afternoon press conference to discuss the details of the case and the arrest."We're hopeful that they've got the right guy," said Larry Haynes, executive director of Mercy House, which provides services for the homeless in Orange County. "But until we know if the right person was arrested, we will maintain our vigilance to ensure safety. We are still calling on people who are living out on the streets to come inside tonight."
Haynes said Mercy House shelters had stepped up security in recent weeks and would continue to do so until police say the threat is over.We have security guards on duty andFriends of the latest victim lit candles Saturday and made plans to start a fund to give the latest victim a proper burial. They described him as a kind, quiet man who chose a life on the streets.
"He never asked for anything. We'd offer him rooms but he lived the life of a homeless man," said Yvonne Miranda, who said the victim spent most of his time in the parking lot where he was killed. "He was in his comfort zone. This is where he felt safe."Police and advocates have been urging those living on the streets to head inside or buddy up in the wake of the killings.Earlier Friday, the Orange County sheriff's deputies union announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Read more: [URL]http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/man_held_in_calif_homeless_slaying_HevsR2eqpZjt8NG8fojpZK#ixzz1jXE4iX5b[/URL][/release]
I wonder how many others were killed by the same killer that we simply don't know about because nobody cared.
Why are vets homeless? Makes no sense.
[QUOTE=AceOfDivine;34223022]Why are vets homeless? Makes no sense.[/QUOTE]
If I'm not mistaken it's because the military stopped caring about them after they were discharged.
It's been a while since I studied the Vietnam War so I may be wrong.
So why didn't she give him the cell phone? She forgot?
[QUOTE=Sharker;34223137]So why didn't she give him the cell phone? She forgot?[/QUOTE]
Didn't get their in time :c
Also @[B]AceOfDivine[/B]
[quote]They described him as a kind, quiet man who chose a life on the streets.
"He never asked for anything. We'd offer him rooms but he lived the life of a homeless man," said Yvonne Miranda, who said the victim spent most of his time in the parking lot where he was killed. "He was in his comfort zone. This is where he felt safe.[/quote]
[QUOTE=Marbalo;34223218]The way society treats homeless people is fucking appalling.[/QUOTE]
helping others? communist!
not with my money!
[QUOTE=Marbalo;34223218]The way society treats homeless people is fucking appalling.[/QUOTE]
A Vietnam war veteran that lost a leg and is now homeless because his identity was stolen...
it's so sad that that probably isn't a rare thing.
[QUOTE=AceOfDivine;34223022]Why are vets homeless? Makes no sense.[/QUOTE]
Because a lot of veterans in the Vietnam war were basically ostracized by society because of the association with them and "baby killers" or "murderers." Not to mention the rampant PTSD and such that was left untreated due to the aforementioned social alienation and the army's mindset of "toughing it out." Considering mental illness and social alienation are common causes of homelessness, it's easy to see why so many vets are homeless.
[QUOTE=Canuhearmenow;34224485]Because a lot of veterans in the Vietnam war were basically ostracized by society because of the association with them and "baby killers" or "murderers." Not to mention the rampant PTSD and such that was left untreated due to the aforementioned social alienation and the army's mindset of "toughing it out." Considering mental illness and social alienation are common causes of homelessness, it's easy to see why so many vets are homeless.[/QUOTE]
they were caught up in a really shitty time, who cares about that? I just see the war as something to respect someone for and just to let go.
The Vietnam war was a mistake, that doesn't mean the soldiers involved should be cast away like inhuman monsters. In fact, the real monsters are the people who can't get over it and accept the fact that veterans have a reason for being the way they are.
Why are so many homeless people are getting killed lately?
[QUOTE=Marbalo;34223218]The way society treats homeless people is fucking appalling.[/QUOTE]
To be fair, the homeless people roaming the streets are the ones that likely chose not to get help, but that's likely not their fault either because they likely suffer from a mental disorder...which is awful because they aren't helped by the government, the one people that could help them all.
[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;34225578]Why are so many homeless people are getting killed lately?[/QUOTE]Someone's cleaning up the trash from the streets.
Happened about 20 minutes away from where I live. My friends saw the body and everything.
Hopefully they catch this killer.
[QUOTE=AceOfDivine;34229363]Someone's cleaning up the trash from the streets.[/QUOTE]
totally not an ignorant post at all... nope.
[QUOTE=AceOfDivine;34229363]Someone's cleaning up the trash from the streets.[/QUOTE]
You disgust me.
[QUOTE=Clementine;34229315]To be fair, the homeless people roaming the streets are the ones that likely chose not to get help[/QUOTE]
And you've based this on what, exactly?
[QUOTE=Megafanx13;34231007]And you're based this on what, exactly?[/QUOTE]
Anecdotal evidence mostly, not very legitimate to characterize a whole, but I doubt my area is the only place where the homeless are crazy
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