Suspect Arrested In Thanksgiving Day Slaying In San Diego

SAN DIEGO — A parolee was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of fatally stabbing a man in the Midway area on Thanksgiving Day.

Forrest Robert Brantley, 38, was taken into custody without incident while walking near the intersection of US 101 and state Route 33 in Ventura by officers who recognized him from fugitive-suspect alerts, according to police in the coastal city north of Los Angeles.

Brantley allegedly stabbed 55-year-old Robert Erbe in the neck about 8 a.m. Thursday during an argument outside a business in the 3100 block of Sports Arena Boulevard, according to San Diego police.

Medics took Erbe to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, SDPD Sgt. Michelle Velovich said.
The reason for the confrontation between Brantley, who is from Ventura, and Erbe was unclear, though the suspect has a long history run-ins with the law.

"A review of superior court databases shows Brantley has been arrested 34 times since 2000," Ventura police Cmdr. David Dickey said. "The charges included burglary, robbery, elder abuse, drug-related offenses and property crimes. At the time of his (latest) arrest ... he was on active parole for attempted robbery, burglary, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon."

In September 2016, Brantley was arrested after allegedly breaking into a gift shop at a historic Spanish mission in downtown Ventura, stealing two crucifixes and using them to bludgeon five people, including a 75-year-old man, on nearby roadsides, according to published reports.

The suspect, whose listed occupation in jail records is tattoo artist, was booked early Wednesday afternoon into county jail in Ventura pending transfer to the San Diego area to face charges in the homicide case.

– City News Service