Crime Beat

HUSBAND OF DEAD JAMUL WOMAN WAS ACQUITTED OF DOUBLE-MURDER IN PAST

 

By Miriam Raftery

January 10, 2017 (Jamul) – Winnie Perry Whitby, the husband of Melissa Whitby, whose dead body was found with upper body trauma on a trail near their Jamul home on Saturday, has previously been charged with murdering two men in Maryland over two decades ago, but was acquitted by a jury.


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MAN ARRESTED AFTER SHOTS FIRED IN SPRING VALLEY

 

East County News Service

January 10, 2017 (Spring Valley) – Last night shortly after 10 p.m., deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff’s Station responded to calls of gunshots heard in the 1100 block of Jamacha Lane in Spring Valley.


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BODY FOUND IN JAMUL IDENTIFIED AS MELISSA WHITBY: DEATH WAS HOMICIDE

 

By Miriam Raftery

January 9, 2017 (Jamul) — The County Medical Examiner has identified a body found in Jamul on Saturday as Melissa Whitby, a Jamul resident.  She was reported missing December 31st by her husband, Winnie Whitby.   There was upper body trauma and cause of death has been determined to be a homicide.


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AUTHORITIES SEEK OWNERS OF CREDIT CARDS, MAIL, GIFT CARDS AND OTHER SUSPECTED STOLEN ITEMS FOUND IN RECOVERED U-HAUL TRUCK IN ALPINE

 

East County News Service

January 8, 2017 (Alpine) – Authorities recovered a stolen U-Haul truck on Friday, filled with other stolen property.

An Alpine Sheriff’s deputy was patrolling the lot of a local casino and spotted the stolen U-Haul truck.  With help from casino security, the deputy located the truck’s two occupants, Kimberly White, 47, and Salomon Saenz, 60. 


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WOMAN’S BODY FOUND BY HIKER IN JAMUL

 

East County News Service

January 8, 2017 (Jamul) — A $1,000 reward is offered for help to solve the case of an unidentified woman found dead yesterday in the 15800 block of Skyline Truck Trail in Jamul.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Homicide Detail and Rancho San Diego station are investigating the death as a possible homicide due to apparent trauma to the victim’s upper body.  She is estimated to be in her 40s or 50s.


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RUNNING PUTS PROBATION YOUTH ON POSITIVE PATH

 

A running program is giving some youth in detention not only a physical outlet for stress but also meditative time to refocus and readjust attitudes that landed them in trouble. It’s turned into both a goal and an accomplishment they never thought they could attain – and an important component of their efforts to get their lives on the right track.


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HIT AND RUN DRIVER SOUGHT IN PEDESTRIAN FATALITY IN SPRING VALLEY IN EARLY HOURS OF NEW YEAR

 

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2017 (Spring Valley) -- California Highway Patrol seeks public help to identify motorist who struck and killed a pedestrian on eastbound  State Route 94 just east of Kenwood Drive  in Spring Valley around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 1st, then fled the scene.


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EL CAJON POLICE OFFICER SHOOTS KNIFE-WIELDING SUSPECT

 

East County News Service

January 2, 2017 (El Cajon) – A man wielding a knife was shot last night shortly after 9 p.m. by an El Cajon Police officer and is being treated at a local trauma center for the gunshot injury. According to Lieutenant Randy Soulard with ECPD’s special enforcement division, the officer was wearing a body camera and footage has been retained as evidence.


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ID THIEF SOUGHT: DEBIT CARD LOST IN SANTEE USED TO CHARGE GOODS IN POWAY, CARMEL MOUNTAIN AND SANTEE

 

Source:  San Diego Sheriff

December 27, 2016 (Santee) -- Do you recognize the man in this surveillance video? https://vimeo.com/197224069. He is wanted on suspicion of using a lost debit card and going on a shopping spree, according to the Sheriff’s department.


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SUSPECT INJURES OFFICER WITH VEHICLE

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 23, 2016 (El Cajon) — An El Cajon Police offered suffered a minor injury after he was struck by the door of a vehicle driven by a fleeing suspect.

Last night at 8:06 p.m., officers responded to a report of a person sleeping behind the wheel of a vehicle in a strip mall parking lot in the 100 block of North Second Street. 


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THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FOR DRUNK DRIVERS

 

Drive sober or get pulled over

East County News Service

December 23, 2016 (El Cajon) -- This holiday season, El Cajon Police will be out looking for drunk & drugged drivers as part of a special year-end Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization.


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SPEED UP DEATH PENALTY CASES? NOT SO FAST, CALIF. HIGH COURT RULES

 

East County News Service

December 20, 2016 (San Francisco) — California’s Supreme Court has temporarily blocked implementation of Proposition 66, a measure approved by voters in November that would speed up death penalty cases.  The high court issued the stay to allow time to hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by opponents of the measure.


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SECRET SANTAS ASK SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES TO SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER

 

Source: San Diego County Sheriff's Department

December 17, 2016 (San Diego) - Three generous community members (Secret Santas) enlisted the help of Sheriff's Deputies today to surprise dozens of families with cash and gift cards.  People's reactions were one of pure joy.   


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MAN ARRESTED FOR OCTOBER SHOOTING IN SPRING VALLEY: INVESTIGATORS SEEK WITNESSES

 

East County News Service

December 15, 2016 (Spring Valley) – Jesus Perez, 26, was arrested yesterday afternoon by Sheriff’s detectives for attempted murder. The arrest stems from a shooting which occurred in the early morning hours of October 30th in the 800 block of Broadview Street in Spring Valley.


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SUSPECTED SERIAL THIEF ARRESTED AFTER HIGH-SPEED PURSUIT

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 15, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – A man suspected of stealing mail in Lakeside led Sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase in Alpine this morning and was caught with a pickup truck full of other stolen items ranging from weapons to electronics. He is suspected of thefts in neighborhoods across our region.


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CHP SEEKS IDENTITY OF PEDESTRIAN STRUCK ON I-15 NEAR FRIARS ROAD SATURDAY NIGHT; MAN IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION

 

East County News Service

December 13, 2016 (San Diego) — California Highway Patrol seeks public help to identify a pedestrian struck at 11:17 p.m. Saturday night while walking in lanes of Interstate northbound, south of Friars Road.  The victim suffered major head and chest trauma after being struck by a maroon Subaru station wagon.


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PURSUIT SUSPECT JUMPS OFF OVERPASS, BREAKS MULTIPLE BONES

 

East County News Service

December 12, 2016 (Spring Valley) – A high speed pursuit that began in Spring Valley this morning ended in National City, where the suspect, Frank Rios, 36, jumped over a freeway overpass trying to evade officers and suffered injuries.


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ALPINE MOM, 21, ARRESTED IN RELATION TO TOT’S DEATH

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 12, 2016 (Alpine) -- The Sheriff’s department today announced a second arrest related to the death of 18-month-old Leah Brown-Meza. Lilly Brown, 21, the tot’s mother, will be charged with three counts of willful cruelty to a child with great bodily injury and/or death, said Sheriff’s Homicide Lieutenant Kenneth Nelson.


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UNDERCOVER CHOP SHOP IN LEMON GROVE LEADS TO 42 INDICTMENTS, BREAK UP OF CAR THEFT RINGS

 

East County News Service

December 12, 2016 (Lemon Grove) – About 10,000 vehicles are stolen each year in San Diego, and many of them wind up in chop shops that dismantle the vehicles and sell of parts.


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NEW PARK OPENS IN SANTEE HONORING DEPUTY KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY

 

East County News Service

December 11, 2016 (Santee) – The City of Santee held a grand opening Saturday for Deputy Ken Collier Neighborhood Park, located at 9170 Via de Cristina, just east of Fanita Drive and north of Prospect Avenue.  The new park is named in memory of Deputy Collier, who was killed in the line of duty in 2010 while trying to stop a drunk driver who was traveling the wrong-way on Highway 52.


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MOTHER’S BOYFRIEND ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF ALPINE TOT

 

East County News Service

December 9, 2016 (Alpine) -- Detectives with the Sheriff's Homicide Detail and the Fugitive Task Force have arrested Alpine resident Wiliey Foster in connection with the death of 18 month-old Leah Brown-Meza. Foster is the live-in boyfriend of the baby’s mother.


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TEEN ARRESTED FOR SHOOTING LA MESA WOMAN

 

East County News Service

December 8, 2016 (La Mesa) — Susan Pierce, 59, was shot in the back at her La Mesa home on Keeney Street on December 6th, shortly before 9:30 p.m.  Now Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. marshals have arrested a 17-year-old teenage girl, who is a relative of the victim.


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INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED INTO DEATH OF ALPINE TOT

 

Update:   The deceased child has been identified as Leah Brown-Meza. The autopsy result has been sealed as an investigation continues.

East County News Service

December 7, 2016 (Alpine) — Sheriff’s homicide and child abuse detectives are investigating the death of an Alpine toddler under suspicious circumstances.

Sheriff’s deputies and paramedics responded to a 911 call reporting an 18-month-old girl was found not breathing, shortly before noon yesterday.  The child was in a motorhome parked at 302 Hunter Lane in Alpine.


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FATAL SHOOTING ON HIGHWAY 94

 

East County News Service

December 4, 2016 (San Diego) – A man shot in the head last night around 11:35 p.m. on the north shoulder of State Route 94 near Euclid Avenue was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after arrival.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of family. NBC News reports that San Diego Police have indicated that an altercation occurred alongside the freeway shortly before the shooting.


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APPLICATIONS FOR SHERIFF'S DISPATCHERS NOW OPEN

 

Source: San Diego County Sheriff's Department

December 1, 2016 (San Diego) - 24 hours per day, seven days a week, Sheriff's Dispatchers answer emergency calls from all across San Diego County. They save lives by getting help out to those calling 9-1-1.


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SETTLEMENT REACHED IN SERVITUDE CASE

 

East County News Service

November 30, 2016 (El Cajon) – A settlement has been reached in the case of an El Cajon couple accused of keeping a housekeeper against her will as an indentured servant.

The victim, who asked to be identified by her initials, W.M., wanted to go home to Indonesia and did not want to go through the ordeal of confronting her alleged captors in court, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.  So prosecutors negotiated a plea deal.


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CA WORKS TO PROTECT YOUTH SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN CRISIS

 

Public News Service

November 27. 2016 (Los Angeles) -- California is home to three of the top 13 hot spots for child sex trafficking: Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Now LA and Long Beach are launching a new "Safe Youth Zone" to help young victims escape.


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SOME CONVICTED OF MARIJUANA CRIMES IN CALIFORNIA CAN HAVE PENALTIES REDUCED OR RECORDS EXPUNGED

 

By Miriam Raftery

November 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Proposition 64, approved by voters on November 9th, not only legalized recreational marijuana for adults in California.  It also provides opportunity for reprieves to people arrested or convicted of certain pot-related crimes.


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SDSU POLICE WARN OF 2 STRONG-ARM ROBBERIES

 

East County News Service

November 19, 2016 (San Diego) -- San Diego State University campus police have issued a warning about two strong-arm robberies. The robberies occurred yesterday at 10:30 and 11 p.m., both involving theft or attempted theft of students’ cell phones.

Below are details:


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MAN KILLS SELF AFTER TAKING SON HOSTAGE, TRIGGERING SWAT OPERATION IN EL CAJON

 

By Miriam Raftery

November 19, 2016 (El Cajon) — A man who prompted a SWAT standoff after firing shots and taking his 7-year-old son hostage last night is dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.  According to Lieutenant Royal Bates, the child exited the residence in the 800 block of Grape Street unharmed shortly before the gunshot was heard.


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