Same Suspect Tied to 4 Attacks on San Diego Homeless People: Police

San Diego, CA — Police confirmed in a news conference Wednesday afternoon that they believe the same suspect is responsible for a series of attacks on homeless people in San Diego that have left two men dead and two gravely injured within the last four days.

A $1,000 reward is offered and enhanced images were released in the hopes someone in the public may recognize the suspect in the attacks, the latest of which happened about 5 a.m. Wednesday in downtown San Diego, not far from Horton Plaza.

"It is just a matter of getting the photographs in front of the right person ... and them giving us a name," San Diego police Capt. David Nisleit said.

• More: Fourth Homeless Man Attacked in San Diego; 2 Dead, 2 Injured

Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman gave a similar plea.

"We believe there is someone out there who will recognize this person who will provide us with that tip or information ... Please, let's all of us work together to get this dangerous person off the streets as soon as possible."

All four attacks have involved extensive injuries to the victims' upper bodies. Two victims were also set on fire.

Angelo De Nardo, 53, was discovered dead just after 8 a.m. Sunday in the area of 2700 Morena Boulevard —near Interstate 5 and the train tracks — when emergency personnel responded to a report of a fire. Upon putting out the blaze, they discovered the deceased man who was later identified as De Nardo, a homeless man who has family in Pennsylvania.

Witnesses told police they saw a man running near the area with a gas can just prior to the fire. Other witnesses were able to describe what a person seen running from the scene was wearing, which led police to obtain surveillance images of a person of interest from a nearby convenience store.

Less than 24 hours later, at 4:51 a.m. Monday — the Fourth of July — a 911 caller reported a man was lying on the ground bleeding in the 3700 block of Greenwood Street, off Sports Arena Boulevard near Valley View Casino Center. The victim, identified by police Wednesday as Manuel Mason, a 61-year-old transient, remains hospitalized for treatment of life-threatening injuries to his upper torso.

Ninety minutes later, at 6:10 a.m. Monday, a San Diego police officer was flagged down in the 2500 block of Bacon Street in Ocean Beach about a man down and bleeding from his upper torso. Police arrived to find the victim, identified Wednesday as Shawn Longley, 41, deceased.

In Wednesday's incident, police responded to an apartment complex in the 700 block of Kettner Boulevard after receiving reports of a violent disturbance. They found a young man suffering from wounds to his upper body who had also been set on fire.

Nisleit said during the press conference that the 23-year-old victim in Wednesday's attack remained hospitalized in "grave condition" and was not expected to survive.

The police captain said it appeared the last three victims were all asleep when they were attacked.

Zimmerman made it clear that they were no longer considering the man in the surveillance video and images a person of interest; he is now their main suspect in the series of attacks.

The chief said additional resources have been dedicated to tracking him down and taking him into custody.

"Rest assured ... that will continue until we apprehend this individual," Zimmerman said.

Police stopped short of dubbing the suspect a serial killer.

"What we have here is a series of homicides being committed by one person," Nisleit said. "This individual needs to be caught and needs to be caught quickly."

He said they have been in contact with the FBI about the case and are receiving and investigating many tips.

"We are getting a lot of leads and are calling on every single one of those leads," Nisleit said.

Police are also canvassing the city's homeless communities, he said, not only to make them aware of the dangerous incidents but also in an effort to find anyone who may recognize the suspect.

Anyone with information on these cases should call the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit
at 619-531-2293 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477. Crime Stoppers is
offering a $1,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest in these cases. Anonymous
email and text messages can be sent via Sdcrimestoppers.org.