Woman Found Murdered in Orange, but Authorities See No Link to Night Stalker

A woman was found murdered early Thursday outside an apartment complex in Orange, but investigators say they have no evidence to link the slaying to recent assaults and murders by the Night Stalker.

“We have no information at this time to make a connection or draw that conclusion,” Orange Police Lt. Gene Hernandez said.

The nude and battered body of Cynthia Sue Monnier, 27, of 2082 N. Lincoln St. was discovered at about 5 a.m. outside a neighbor’s front door minutes after the neighbor telephoned police reporting that a screaming woman was pounding at her door.

“She (the neighbor) said she heard a screaming female knocking on her door,” said Police Lt. Mike Leintz. “Instead of answering the door, she called us. When she finished making the call she went to the door and found the body lying in what was sort of a flower bed, deceased.”

Concern Over Hysteria

An autopsy was performed later in the afternoon, but investigators would not disclose the preliminary results. One investigator said, however, it appeared the woman was stabbed.

Investigators were releasing only sketchy information, claiming they wanted to prevent public hysteria and fears that the killer may have been the Night Stalker.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokesman John Broussard said investigators with the Night Stalker task force did not respond to the Monnier slaying. In all previous suspected Night Stalker cases outside the Los Angeles County sheriff’s jurisdiction, including the Mission Viejo and San Francisco attacks, investigators with the sheriff’s Night Stalker task force responded to the scene.

The fact that Night Stalker investigators did not respond to Monnier’s slaying is “a good indication” the murder is not related to the string of 37 attacks and murders attributed to the serial killer, Broussard said.

Stalker Came to Mind

Residents in the cluster of duplexes near Lincoln Street and Meats Avenue nevertheless said they at least momentarily thought of the Night Stalker when detectives canvassed the area after the slaying.

“That was the first thing I asked when they came and woke me up this morning,” said Fran Hughes, who manages a string of duplexes across the street from the murder scene.

Claire A. Mack, who lives across the street, said: “Whatever the circumstances are, it could have been my house, whether this is related to the (Night Stalker) or not. We have dead bolts, everything’s locked up and it’s scary.”

Police Sgt. Lou Walsh said there were no signs of a forced entry into the apartment, nor were detectives able to locate a possible murder weapon. Detectives are seeking a boyfriend of the slain woman, Walsh said, but they do not know the man’s identity, nor do they consider him a suspect in Monnier’s slaying.

Monnier’s apartment was burglarized Aug. 15 and “some electronic stuff” was taken, Walsh said, but investigators do not know if the slaying was in any way linked to the break-in.

Monnier had lived at the cluster of duplexes near Lincoln Street and Meats Avenue for about two years, neighbors said. They said she worked at a nearby bank and was a health enthusiast. A woman, who with her husband manages the apartments, said Monnier moved to California from Ohio and had no nearby relatives.