2 Crime Scenes, 1 Confirmed Death in Banning

Banning, CA— One person is dead and police are investigating two crime scenes in Banning on Saturday, Patch has confirmed.

Right now, details are very limited, but Banning Police Chief Alex Diaz confirms the death of a person who was found in a field just north of Interstate 10 and east of Highland Springs Avenue.

A second crime scene located at a vacant building on Ramsey Street, also just east of Highland Springs Avenue, is connected to the death, Diaz confirms.

Diaz has not said if the death is being investigated as a murder of if any suspects are in custody. However, neighbors tell Patch they speculate a transient was killed.

"I got here this morning and saw the yellow tape up," Kevin Pupp, who owns a property said. "I went and talked to the officer... and he just told me that they found somebody down in the ditch.... but they weren't saying too much."

Pupp says the area behind his property is often frequented by transients.

"There are about five tents out there right now and they all live together," tenant Dawn McCrary told Patch, adding that she's never witnessed any violent behavior in the past, though does believe there has been a drug problem. "But it's all been cleaned up and the police are on them every day and they actually cruise here every night now."

"All of [the transients] are really nice, they usually say hi," she added.

As of 2 p.m., that field off Apex Avenue remained blocked off with yellow crime scene tape, and Patch spotted multiple police units on scene. About a quarter mile away on Ramsey, the vacant home was also still blocked off, with police units stationed outside.

"It's a little discouraging, owning a house in Banning," Pupp said. "And I feel that they need to do more about [the homeless issue] but I guess they have their hands tied, is kind of what I understand."

Chief Diaz told Patch that more information will be released later. Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.