Stabbing Deaths of 3 OC Homeless May Be Related

In the last two weeks, three Orange County homeless men have been stabbed to death, and investigators are attempting to figure out if someone is targeting the region’s homeless.

In the mean time, authorities are asking residents to look out for the homeless population.

The first killing occurred Dec. 21 outside a shopping center in Placentia. James McGillivray, 53, was found in the 100 block of North Bradford Avenue suffering from multiple stab wounds. Video from near the scene showed a thin man, wearing all black, lying in wait before the attack, police said. The suspect was believed to be a 20 something man, as tall as 5 feet, 9 inches.

On Wednesday – eight days later, a 42-year-old man was found along a riverbed trail near Tustin Avenue in Anaheim, according to Anaheim police Sgt. Bob Dunn. Lloyd Middaugh was found stabbed to death between Tustin and Lakeview avenues in Anaheim, along the river trail.

On Friday, a 57-year-old man was found stabbed to death in the 18100 block of Imperial Highway in Yorba Linda, in a stairwell just outside a library. The Yorba Linda victim was identified Saturday as Paulus Cornelius Smit, whose last known address was in Yorba Linda, the Orange County Register reported. Brea police, who also patrol Yorba Linda, said it was unclear if his killing was related to the others.

Detectives have not established whether one person committed all three killings.

``We want everyone to watch out for the homeless population,'' Dunn said. ``If they see something unusual, give us a shout."

- City News Service