COSTA MESA : Woman Found Dead of Stab Wounds

A 27-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment Tuesday of multiple stab wounds, police said.

The victim’s husband, Primitivo Reyes, discovered the body when he returned home to the apartment complex in the 600 block of Baker Street, police said.

Costa Mesa Capt. Tom Lazar said the second-story apartment had been ransacked.

Police declined to release the victim’s name, pending notification of other relatives. But the manager of the Newport Village apartment complex, where the victim lived, identified her as Susan Reyes.

The incident was the second stabbing death in Orange County in two days. On Monday, Janice L. McLean of Westminster died after she was stabbed while asleep. Police have arrested a 14-year-old neighbor on suspicion of breaking into McLean’s house and killing her.

Lazar said there are no suspects in the Costa Mesa slaying.

Shae Hand, who manages the apartment complex, said Susan Reyes had become her good friend since she and her husband moved to Newport Village about seven months ago. Susan Reyes was a gym teacher who enjoyed working with children, Hand said.

“She was a very nice girl,” she said. “She loved kids.”

Neighbors expressed shock at the incident.

“I don’t feel real good about this,” Scott Jones said. “It’s scary to come home and have police lines around your parking space. I just can’t believe this.”

A neighbor who declined to be identified said: “It’s really surprising to me. Everybody is this (entire) area is quiet. That’s what so spooky about it. Obviously somebody had a lot of time.”