Police Investigating 4 Possible Murders; 3 Occurred in One Night

San Diego homicide investigators added four suspected murders to their caseload Saturday. Three of the deaths, including a gang-related shooting, occurred overnight.

A fistfight that escalated into a shooting about 10 p.m. Friday in front of a Federal Boulevard liquor store killed 18-year-old Lloyd Smith and wounded another man in what police said was a gang-related incident.

According to a police spokesman, the two gunshot victims got into an argument with a third man, Ray Joseph Magee, who is still being sought by police. After Magee hit one of the victims in the face, police said, a fight started in front of Par Liquor & Deli at 5055 Federal Blvd. When Magee pulled out a gun, the two men tried to escape into the store, police said.

Smith, who was shot in the head and the back, was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital. The other shooting victim, who was not identified by police, was hospitalized with a leg wound.

Police said Magee left the scene in a blue Cadillac.

In Clairemont, a 47-year-old woman was found dead in her home in the 4500 block of Cochise Way shortly after midnight Saturday and her estranged husband was arrested and jailed about 10 hours later.

Police said Alexandra Nolte was found dead on the kitchen floor of her home. She had been shot several times.

William Earl Nolte, 47, her estranged husband, was arrested without incident at the Manzanita Ranch near Julian by sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers.

According to a sheriff’s spokeswoman, Nolte’s car--a red subcompact with a license plate reading MR EARL2--led to Nolte’s capture.

A citizen who had heard the description put out on law enforcement radio frequencies called authorities. Officers caught up with Nolte about 10 a.m.

A third homicide in Hillcrest was first thought to be a traffic death, police said, but the victim, who was found lying in the street near Seventh and University avenues, had died of a bullet wound to the chest.

The county medical examiner’s office identified the dead man as Brett Ichelberger, 34, of San Diego.

Ichelberger’s body was found lying in front of a bus bench at 711 University about 6 a.m. Saturday. Witnesses told police that two men were seen running from the area.

The fourth homicide victim was found near a bike path off North Torrey Pines Road. A Florida couple who were vacationing in the San Diego area discovered the body when they were taking a nature walk in the Los Penasquitos Lagoon area.

Police said that the couple noticed a peculiar smell and saw what appeared to be a stocking protruding from the ground. They called a park ranger who removed the stocking and found a human foot.

Police said the victim was partially buried in a shallow grave in a swampy part of the lagoon not far from North Torrey Pines Road.

The identification of the dead man and the cause of death have not been determined. An autopsy is expected to be performed Sunday by the county medical examiner’s office.

The body was that of an adult white male with dark hair. He was wearing a dark leather jacket, denim jeans, a leather belt and a wristwatch, but he was not wearing shoes, police said.