Murder/Home Invasion 2 Blocks from My House

[jonconsiglio]

Some time between Thursday night and Friday morning, 92 year old Ed Bier was murdered in his home on the 400 block of Stages, where he lived alone, during a robbery/home invasion. His house is only two blocks from mine and due to the location (Rio Vista and Stages). If you look at the map I linked, I live on Waverly near Ocean Dr. You'll notice that Stages is a short street that does not connect with either of the main streets, Ocean or Alameda, and one of the easiest routes to his home is from my street. I'll get to why I'm mentioning this in a minute.

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8...cQ8gEwAA#bmb=1

According to a police officer I know and after speaking with a neighbor that was in the home right after it was first discovered, it was a savage attack that occurred in a couple different rooms. He was bludgeoned with a blunt object. We moved to this house a couple years ago from the Lakes where we lived for about 5 years due to this home saving us a bit of money, yet still in a very nice area near the water and low crime. It's also closer to the campus since my wife decided to change carriers and is gong back for her bachelors in nursing.

A couple of you may remember last year when at 3am two men were trying to break into my home and I almost shot the one that came at me with a crowbar....then after he took off on foot ended up in my car chasing the other guy for a couple miles.. I know how wrong it was to not lock myself inside while waiting for the police, believe me. I do this stuff for a living and was shocked myself when I later thought about what I did... The police officers were great about it, by the way. But, I'm not posting this to discuss my decisions, I mention it because I got the plate number and when I was chasing him down Ocean Dr, he made a second U-turn and after a couple other turns, ended up driving up Stages to Rio Vista (where the murder took place) then back down my street. At the speed we were traveling, I'm pretty sure he knew where he was going since it was dark and he handled the road well, which looks like a dead end if you haven't driven it before.

Anyway, I'm trying not to overthink this, but there were a lot of similarities and I've since spoken with them about it. They seemed to think so as well as does my Father who was a DA for Los Angelese county for years then went to criminal defense. I'm still not sure, but if it should turn out to be the same guys, I'll be sick over that half second during my draw where he somehow rethought his actions and ran towards the street, putting a huge tree that I was right next to between us for a split second and obviously I was no longer facing a threat.

The fact that I happened into the situation, which I wake up almost every night around this time and go outside to smoke, and with e doors opening all he did was turn his back and slowly take a couple steps towards my cars from the front of my house on my patio. When I said a few words, he turned from his slow walk and came at me with a crowbar. He had a weird smirk almost and looked pretty willing to fight. Had I not had my weapon, we'd have been hands on within a second or two. I should also mention my training kicked in and quickly got off the line of attack during my draw. Pretty interesting.

Other than that, the victim and I both live in corner houses. My house is one of the only ones lit up at night on my street and has a street light on the opposite corner. We have two cars parked in the driveway as well. We park me on the garage but for some reason we always park the two we drive outside. We also leave the living room lights on which you can tell are on from the front of my house. He tried to enter through a window. He had already pried two of the four attachment points off when I walked outside.

The news played it pretty low key at first mentioning a suspicious death. It was very obviously a homicide according to a few that were at the scene. The night before this happened, about 25 miles away a 80 year old man was bludgeoned to death in Sinton Tx, but it turns out he spent time in prison for murder in the 50's then 10 years in the 90's to early 2000's for marijuana distribution then immediately after release, another 5 years for a controlled substance charge. So, that guy was no angel and they don't believe they were related.

Ed Bier, the 92 year old, survived the attack at Pearl Harbor and by all accounts was a truly good man. This makes me sick and I'm just so angry that this happened. God, I'll feel terrible in the unlikely event what happened to me is related in any way, but they are reinvesting it just in case.

I don't understand how anyone could do this to anyone, let alone an old man. This was too close to home. We walk by that house a few times a week when we take the kids for a walk.

Here's one of the few articles about it - http://www.caller.com/news/2011/oct/...0/?partner=RSS

They mention "some blood loss" but it was apparently a gruesome scene with more than just blood splatter from the hits he took to his face and head. This was a very brutal attack.

EDIT - oh, and there are no leads in this case...

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[oakchas]

Wow.

My condolences... for your neighbor's family and friends.

I take it by your concerns that the BGs that tried to enter your home were not apprehended (as far as you know). And that you fear that at least one of them (the man with the crowbar) might have done in your neighbor.

That would indeed be a shame, but the responsibility does not lie with you.

Bottom line time: We all, always, are doing the best we can do in any given situation, based on our knowledge at the time. Our knowledge may be flawed, we may be myopic in coming to our knowledge. But the fact remains; we did the best we could as we understood the situation at the time that it occurred.

In this particular instance... you had no way of "knowing" (and it may not be the case anyway) that "crowbar man" was going to kill anyone, it may have been just a B&E tool. Had you shot "crowbar man," this might have still happened to your neighbor, and you might not be reading this at all.

YOU did the absolute best you could do. Your actions, at that time, were PERFECT, to the best of your knowledge. Those are the facts... If you CHOOSE to FEEL badly about it, that's okay... but that's what it is...FEELINGS and the CHOICE to FEEL them. The FACTS say differently.

Best wishes,

Charlie

[zacii]

That is a very frightening situation. I got stressed and full of anxiety just reading it!

It's just amazing what evil people are capable of. And it's equally amazing how many people choose to be ignorant of it.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised that this incident is related to your previous one.

[Dadsnugun]

What a horrible thing to happen...don't beat yourself up, the shear numbers of BG's in the world make it unlikely that it was the same guys, in my opinion. Though I didn't read of your prior experience, it sounds to me as though you performed up to the circumstances at the time, and further escalation wasn't warranted once you weren't under threat.

[jonconsiglio]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's not related, it's just some odd coincidences and very close to home. I'm not really beating myself up, just upsets me thinking about it is all.

[Chaplain Scott]

just upsets me thinking about it is all.

John--if it DIDN'T upset you, you wouldn't be normal (well, as "normal" as any of us here on DC are )

[Hopyard]

Sound like something pretty similar to what happened in my neighborhood last week. At least our BG dude is
in the slammer being held on 750K bond (too low)--for capital murder.

It took me a few days to get over the feeling that it was personal; just too close and it could have been me.

In your post you mentioned your training kicking in. Keep in mind that sometimes the BGs have training too. When I went to my MA class Monday I was told (don't know if I was told the truth) that the accused here took Krav for 3 years from the guy who owns the gym I go to. You just never know.

Good luck calming down.

[oneshot]

This sickens me as well.
Knuckledraggers who prey upon anyone, let alone the elderly, infirmed AND helpless, innocent children, has a special place in Hades reserved for them.
Hopefully justice will be swift and true.

Stay vigilant and wary, jon.






An armed criminal will kill an unarmed citizen with monotonous regularity.

Mark Twain:
Always do right--this will gratify some and astonish the rest.
message to Young People's Society, Greenpoint Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, New York, February 16, 1901

[Rock and Glock]

Stay safe, stay armed, stay alert, and try to find peace with yourself and your thoughts.

[jonconsiglio]

Sound like something pretty similar to what happened in my neighborhood last week. At least our BG dude is
in the slammer being held on 750K bond (too low)--for capital murder.

It took me a few days to get over the feeling that it was personal; just too close and it could have been me.

In your post you mentioned your training kicking in. Keep in mind that sometimes the BGs have training too. When I went to my MA class Monday I was told (don't know if I was told the truth) that the accused here took Krav for 3 years from the guy who owns the gym I go to. You just never know.

Good luck calming down.

Sounds close to you, how far was it? Freaking filthy animals.

[Hopyard]

It actually happened about half a mile away tops, but in a house right next to one I once lived in-- Adjoining backyards.

[Justified]

Sad, heartfelt prayers for those affected. Good reminder to stay vigilant about preparedness in one’s own home-sad but necessary.

[xXxplosive]

Cowardly preditors pray on the elderly......on a daily basis.
92 year old war veteran...Geeeezzzz....hope thay catch that bastage.

[Dadsnugun]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's not related, it's just some odd coincidences and very close to home. I'm not really beating myself up, just upsets me thinking about it is all.

I can only imagine...heck, it upsets me thinking about it, and I'm 1200 miles away.

[fragmatic]

Sad as it may be, a case like this could go cold really fast.

If this happens, I suggest contacting your local VFW and American Legion for material and moral support.

This is just the kind of thing that makes old warriors' blood boil.

With most of them being retired they have the time, resources and...cough...stubbornness to work Corpus Christi for leads on the case.

I'm not speaking for them, mind you, but I know a few of them. And I'm fairly sure they would help if asked.