Man Charged With Murdering Homeless Man Left Outside Hospital

SANTA MONICA, CA – A 26-year-old man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murdering a homeless man found dead on a bench outside a Santa Monica hospital. Daniel Roy Davis is charged with the murder of Justin Patrick Lee, 41, who was stabbed in the neck.

Lee's body was found by hospital staff about 6:45 a.m. July 6 on the grounds of Providence St. John's Health Center, at 2121 Santa Monica Blvd. The staff called police after the discovery, according to Santa Monica police Lt. Saul Rodriguez.

"As detectives were canvassing the area, they located Davis in the immediate area of the 2300 block of Santa Monica Boulevard," Rodriguez said then. "Detectives gathered evidence linking Davis to the crime."

Davis – who was arrested that day – remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail. He's due back at the Airport Branch Courthouse in Los Angeles on Aug. 28.

Related: Arrest Made In Death Of Man Found On Bench Outside Hospital

City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Santa Monica Police Department