Police have begun a homicide investigation after the body of a deceased male was found in a downtown San Diego high-rise apartment on Monday, January 20. According to the San Diego Police, officers were called out to the scene at Vantage Pointe apartments in the 1200 block of Ninth Avenue by a security guard who worked at the apartment building along with another individual who found the deceased man’s body in one of the apartment units.
The deceased man was identified by the police as a white man in his late 40s. The man had visible trauma to his body. Police believe that the incident appeared suspicious and then determined that it was in fact a homicide. The authorities are looking for information from the public and are urging anyone who has any details to call Crimestoppers.
Homicide Data in San Diego
According to UCR Crimes by GeoArea, from January to August of 2019 there were 31 murders in San Diego. In 1950, there were 10 recorded murders. By 2018, there were 35 murders. That is a steep jump, but the murders recorded in 2018 were not nearly as high as they were in 1991. In 1991 there were 167 murders.
Between January and June of 2019, there were 5,545 violent crimes in San Diego County. This comes out to approximately 31 violent crimes committed each day during that six-month span. Violent crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. In the first half of 2018, there were 604 homicides in the city. The good news is that compared with the data from 2009, 2019 had a 19% lower violent crime rate.
In California, capital murder is the most serious charge a person can face. Punishment can include:
- The death penalty by way of the gas chamber or lethal injection
- Life in prison without the possibility of parole
First-degree murder in the state falls under California Penal Code 187, and someone charged could be facing the following:
- 25 years to life in state prison
- Hate crime first-degree murder comes with life in state prison without the possibility of parole
Capital murder and first-degree murder are charges not to be taken lightly. If you are arrested for either, you are looking at many years in prison, if not the death penalty. There is no room for error when you are facing murder charges in California. The qualified and experienced legal representation from David M. Boertje, a San Diego criminal defense lawyer, will ensure that you have the best defense team on your side protecting your legal rights.
The California murder and homicide defense attorney at the Law Offices of David M. Boertje will help you with your defense when you are facing serious charges. It is imperative that you contact our law offices immediately to schedule your free consultation so that we can get to work on your defense.
I am dedicated to helping those who have been charged with violent crimes. Call my Carlsbad criminal defense law firm today and we will meet to discuss the details of your situation. I have offices in San Diego at (619) 229-1870 and Carlsbad at (760) 476-0901 for your convenience.