(Santa Monica, California) A Santa Monica man who’d been hospitalized following an assault in a crime-ridden neighborhood earlier this month has died. Word of the death came today in a Santa Monica Police Department news release .
According to police, Preston Brumfield had been found lying unconscious on the sidewalk May 11 on the 1900 block of 20th Street.
According to the news release, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office determined Brumfield’s cause of death is “homicide”.
Police have no suspects in custody and are appealing to the public for help.
At this time, there is nothing to indicate that Brumfield’s death is connected to two other Santa Monica murders earlier this year.
On March 16, 21-year-old Juliana Redding was found dead in her apartment on the 1500 block of Centinela Avenue. Media reports stated the aspiring model and actress had been assaulted. The autopsy report has not been released.
On March 19, 35-year-old Alexander “Sasha” Merman was found dead in his condominium on the 500 block of Montana Avenue. According to media reports, Merman had been beaten and stabbed.
Investigators have said the Redding and Merman murders appear unrelated.
Anyone with information concerning these three unsolved murders can call the Santa Monica Police Department Detectives at:
- (310) 458-8451 (Monday thrugh Friday, 8am – 5pm)
- (310) 458-8427 (line is to the Watch Commander and is open 24/7) Watch Commander
- 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) (this number is best for people wishing to remain anonymous. It’s also referred to as the “WeTip hotline”)
I think its the articles like these that sometimes scare me about Santa Monica. Having lived there for years – people keep telling me they read articles all the time about Santa Monica Homicides. I hope this stuff just dissipates.