Huntington Beach : Unemployed Man, 20, Arrested in Slaying

An unemployed Huntington Beach man has been arrested in the stabbing death last week of a Huntington Beach woman whose body was found in an oil field in the city.

Robert Allen Carter, 20, was being held in City Jail on first-degree murder charges in the death Thursday of Beverly Alexandria Holzmiller, 47. Bail was set at $250,000.

Carter was arrested by Huntington Beach police on Saturday night. Police would not speculate on a motive, but late last week they said there was evidence that the victim had been sexually assaulted. The victim’s clothes were found near her body in the field at Huntington and Alabama streets where an oil-field worker discovered her and called police.

Carter is the subject of outstanding warrants from Illinois on charges of arson, burglary and theft of more than $32,000, Huntington Beach Police Lt. Chuck Poe said.

Neighbors of Carter, who lived in a small house in the 100 block of Chicago Avenue, said Sunday that the man and his family largely kept to themselves.

Neighbors said Carter lived with his mother, whose name they did not know, and an 18-year-old brother. A 13-year-old girl who said she often played with the Carter brothers described them as “really nice guys.”

The murder suspect and his brother kept a pet rat named Stinky, the girl said, whom they showered with affection.

“They just loved that rat,” she said.