Six Men Arrested in Fatal Stabbing in Balboa Park

Police arrested six men Wednesday night in connection with the stabbing death of a man in Balboa Park earlier in the day, authorities said.

Franklyn James Black, 34, no current address available, was found by a passer-by near Balboa Drive and Maple Street about 5 a.m., said police spokesman Bill Robinson. Black had been stabbed several times, authorities said.

The passer-by notified police, who discovered signs of a struggle 60 to 70 yards from where Black was found.

He was wearing white athletic shoes and shorts, leading police to believe he had been walking or jogging, Robinson said.

One park visitor told police that he had encountered a group of men on Wednesday who he believed were going to rob him, Robinson said. The man told police he picked up a stick and scared off the group.

The stabbing death is believed to have occurred during a robbery, Robinson said.

As police combed the canyons of Balboa Park for men matching the descriptions provided by witnesses, the body of another man was found by a police dog in the underbrush near 6th Avenue and Elm Street, Robinson said.

The death of that man is not believed to be related to the stabbing death, Robinson said. A preliminary investigation led police to believe the second man, unidentified, died of a drug overdose, said Sgt. Jerry Callaway. There were no signs of trauma on the man, Callaway said.

Autopsies on both men are scheduled for today.

The search prompted police to pick up two groups of people--some of whom were reported to have blood on their clothes--for questioning.

A wallet belonging to Black was found near where some of the people were taken in, said Sgt. Frank Martinez.

Police arrested six men ranging in age from 18 to 20 years old, who identified themselves to police as Mexican nationals who had entered the country illegally. They were being booked and held in County Jail downtown on suspicion of homicide, Martinez said.