Authorities ID Man Discovered Dead on Sidewalk in Lakeside

LAKESIDE, CA: A man whose badly beaten body was found by a newspaper delivery person Sunday on a Lakeside sidewalk has been identified.

El Cajon resident Trammel Joseph Rizzuti, age 35, died from "sharp force trauma," the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Monday.

Rizzuti was found unresponsive about 4:20 a.m. Sunday in the 10400 block of Aquilla Drive in Lakeside. He was suffering from trauma to his upper body and emergency personnel were unable to revive him, Lt. Kenneth Nelson of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department reported.

A suspect in the alleged homicide, Lance Benson, 29, was arrested later that same day.

Authorities did not disclose what led them to arrest Benson, who is being held without bail at San Diego Central Jail and was due to be arraigned on Wednesday, according to sheriff's online inmate records.

Detectives asked anyone with information about the killing to call the Homicide Detail at 858-974-2321, or after hours at 858-565-5200. Anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers by calling 888-580-8477. Information leading to an arrest could yield a reward of up to $1,000.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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