LOCAL : Newport Police Try to Link Coins in Marine’s Car to Theft, Slayings

Investigators today were examining several coins found during the arrest of a 20-year-old Tustin Marine to determine if they were stolen in an execution-style assault and robbery of a Newport Beach coin dealer in March.

Lance Cpl. Eric Jon Wick was to be arraigned today on charges of murder, attempted murder and robbery in the deaths of Clyde Oatts and Renee Ratoon King and the wounding of William D. King, owner of the Newport Beach Coin Exchange.

Wick was arrested June 8 at his family home in Reno and had been held by military authorities until he was taken into custody by Newport Beach police Wednesday.

Several coins, including two $100 Australian platinum koala coins, a $50 Australian platinum koala coin and a $50 Mexican peso, were found in Wick’s car when he was arrested. Investigators are also conducting ballistics tests on a 9-millimeter Sig Sauer semiautomatic that was found under the front seat of Wick’s car to determine if it was the weapon used in the killings.

Newport Beach police spokesman Bob Oakley said authorities believe that robbery was the motive for the slayings.