Triple Homicide Rocks Newport Beach; Arrest Made

NEWPORT BEACH, CA —Three people are dead, and one is behind bars, Thursday, on suspicion of committing multiple homicides inside a multi-million dollar home in Newport Beach.

Camden Burton Nicholson, 27, was behind bars Thursday on suspicion of killing his parents and another woman that Patch has learned was a housekeeper.

Nicholson was booked on suspicion of committing the triple murder, according to Heather Rangel of the Newport Beach Police Department.

Late Wednesday evening, Newport Beach police say the Irvine Police Department suggested that they perform a welfare check at the upscale residence in Bonita Canyon, a prominent gated community, Heather Rangel of the Newport Beach Police Department told Patch.

Officers went to the home on the 30 block of Palazzo and found three people, allegedly Nicholson's parents and a cleaning woman, according media reports-- had perished inside, she said.

Camden Nicholson, who had admitted himself into the Irvine Kaiser Emergency Room, allegedly confessed to Irvine police that he killed his parents, according to media reports. He was detained and ultimately taken into custody.

Nicholson was held at Orange County Jail. He was appointed an attorney from the Orange County Public Defender's Office and his arraignment was rescheduled for March 8 in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana. He is being held without bail.

The Orange County Coroner's office released the identities of Richard Nicholson, 64 and Kim Nicholson, 61, and the family housekeeper,Maria Morse, 57, as having been found, dead, at the scene.

Richard Nicholson was the CEO of Irvine-based West Pacific Medical Laboratory. He twice served as president of the California Clinical Laboratory Association, the organization's president, Michael Arnold, told the Orange County Register.

Renee Schiavone Photo