A 25-year-old man from California has been formally charged with the murder of his 83-year-old neighbor, an incident that has sent shockwaves through their community.
The Oceanside Police Department has withheld the victim’s identity at the family’s request. However, they have named the suspect as Blake Harrison Turner. Turner resided just across the hall from the victim at the Canyon Club Apartments, according to a report by KGTV.
The police were alerted to the scene around 6 p.m. last Friday after receiving a call about an “unresponsive female.” Upon arrival, they concluded that the woman had been murdered and soon identified her neighbor as a suspect, later disclosing his name.
Turner was taken into custody on Monday afternoon.
According to a neighbor, who chose to remain anonymous, Turner and the victim seemed to share a friendly relationship.
The victim was remembered fondly by friends as a dedicated animal advocate and a volunteer with the San Diego Humane Society. The organization expressed its deep sorrow over her passing in a statement, describing the news as “heartbreaking.”
“She was an integral part of our volunteer program at the Oceanside Campus, and we know she would want to be remembered for her extraordinary dedication to the animals in our care,” the organization said.
Detectives are calling this an isolated incident. Residents in the apartment complex said this tragedy doesn’t define the neighborhood.
Turner is charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail, jail records show. He is expected to be arraigned Wednesday morning.
