KING CITY, Calif.- Are you safe in your own yard? On Tuesday morning on a Central Coast street, a man raking leaves, was stabbed to death and the suspect is on the loose. Shocked friends and family share different versions of what they said happened to an otherwise "normal" family.
It's new information on a murder investigation, with very few details right now. People who know the victim and his wife are stunned, calling it a random act of violence.
"To think that things like this are going on nowadays, it's kinda saddening. I remember King City as being able to ride around on bikes until 9 or 10 at night," said neighbor Jarrod Mansfield.
Jarrod Manfield said it's chilling to hear his neighbor was stabbed and that police are still looking for a motive. The local newspaper in King City said the victim is 37-year-old Anthony Esquivel and his wife works for the paper. Friends of the victim said he was in his backyard raking up some leaves, when a suspicious man came at him with a knife. But the local paper said the suspect entered the victim's home and stabbed him there, where the victim's wife heard his screams for help, then saw the suspect run.
Police said they weren't available for comment, did tell us the victim died at the hospital. The victim's family wouldn't talk on camera but told us they're having a hard time getting information from police.
Matthew Arnett said the victim's wife is a colleague of his and word about the murder traveled fast this morning.
"Everyone knows the family and so it's hard and I think a lot of people were shocked by it when they found out," said KRKC 1490-AM news director Matthew Arnett.
But King City isn't alone in dealing with random violence. Last month a Santa Cruz County woman fended off three intruders by screaming and yelling at them. Deputies said she was lucky when they ran off without hurting her. But unlike other areas with more resources, Mansfield said police in his town are having a hard time keeping up.
"Never used to be this bad and King City Police Department are trying their best to keep a handle on it. But there's only so much they can do," Mansfield said.
Police said the suspect was seen running from the crime scene, toward south Russ Avenue. He's described as a light skinned Hispanic male, in his late thirties, about 5-foot-9 and 220 pounds. If you know anything, call King City Police at 1-800-782-7463.
