SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Iraq War veteran would carefully stalk each of his victims from among the thousands of homeless living in Southern California. He would then stab them repeatedly with a knife that could cut through bone, authorities say.
For his fourth and latest victim, they say, Itzcoatl Ocampo selected a homeless man featured in a Los Angeles Times story about a killing spree that terrorized those living on the streets for weeks.
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And Ocampo had plans for more, until he was chased down by bystanders Friday night after the fatal stabbing of a 64-year-old homeless man. He was caught with blood on his hands and face, authorities say.
“He was a monster,” Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas told reporters at a news conference.
Ocampo was charged Tuesday with four counts of murder and special allegations of multiple murders and lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon. Three victims were stabbed more than 40 times each with a single-edged blade at least 7 inches long.
Authorities declined to say whether they had identified a motive. Rackauckas said he had no indication that Ocampo was mentally ill.
Ocampo’s family said the 23-year-old was a troubled man after he returned from Iraq in 2008.
If convicted, Ocampo faces a minimum sentence of life in prison without parole. Authorities have yet to decide whether to seek the death penalty.
Ocampo is due to appear in court today, but his attorney said his arraignment would likely be postponed.
Ocampo was arrested Friday night when witnesses chased him down after John Berry was stabbed to death outside a fast-food restaurant in Anaheim, about 26 miles southeast of Los Angeles, authorities said.
A day before he died, Berry had filed a report with police saying he believed someone was trying to follow him. It was one of nearly 600 leads and tips that officers received.
“It is unfortunate that we didn’t get to him before the suspect did,” Anaheim Police Chief John Welter said.
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