81-year-old man accused of terrorizing California neighborhood for years with slingshot is discovered lifeless days after arrest

“Serial slingshot shooter” arrested after tormenting Azusa neighborhood for almost 10 years

An 81-year-old man who investigators mentioned terrorized a Southern California neighborhood for years with a slingshot has died simply days after his arrest, authorities mentioned.

The person, who was beforehand recognized by police as Prince King, was discovered lifeless Wednesday night at a house in Azusa, east of Los Angeles, police Sgt. Nick Covarrubias mentioned.

“We did not discover any proof of foul play,” Covarrubias instructed the Southern California Information Group.

The person died of arteriosclerotic heart problems, in line with the medical expert’s workplace, which dominated the dying as pure.

The person had been launched on his personal recognizance Tuesday after pleading not responsible to 5 counts of felony vandalism and two counts of misdemeanor vandalism.

Police mentioned the person was arrested Could 23 on suspicion of breaking home windows and automotive windshields and of narrowly lacking folks with ball bearings shot from a slingshot. No accidents have been reported.

Whereas conducting an investigation, detectives “realized that through the course of 9-10 years, dozens of residents have been being victimized by a serial slingshot shooter,” the Azusa Police Division mentioned in an announcement final week.

Officers serving a search warrant discovered a slingshot and ball bearings on the man’s residence in Azusa, police mentioned.

Azusa police Lt. Jake Bushey mentioned Saturday that detectives realized that a lot of the ball bearings have been shot from the suspect’s yard.

“We’re not conscious of any type of motive different than simply malicious mischief,” Bushey instructed the information group.

Whereas police suspected him of vandalizing home windows in his neighborhood for a few decade, the LA County District Lawyer’s Workplace charged him with vandalism from October 2021 to Could 2024.

“We have been right here since 2018. (It has been) ongoing all that point,” one in every of King’s alleged victims, James Mead, instructed the Los Angeles Each day Information. “To me, it appears to be a very good neighborhood, aside from home windows being damaged,”