3 Men Found Slain in 2 Incidents in Huntington Beach

Three men were shot to death in two separate incidents, baffling detectives Tuesday in the coastal city that gained national attention earlier this year as “America’s Safest City.”

In one case, a woman on her way to meet a friend early Tuesday discovered him and another man dead inside a small storage warehouse in the 7500 block of Slater Avenue, said Mike Kelley, a Huntington Beach police senior officer.

Police have no suspects, weapons or witnesses in the deaths, which they believe occurred between Sunday afternoon, when one of the victims was last seen, and Tuesday morning, when the bodies were discovered, Kelly said.

There were no signs of forced entry, he said.

One victim, a 47-year-old resident of Fountain Valley, was identified by the woman who found him, police said. She found the bodies in a room used for storing furniture and other personal belongings, Kelly said.

Police did not release the man’s name pending family notification. The woman’s name was also withheld because detectives did not want to jeopardize their investigation, Kelly said.

The second victim was not identified Tuesday.

The building is in an industrial area that includes automotive, wood-finishing and surfboard-making businesses. Employees who work nearby said Unit T, where the men were found, was generally quiet with few people coming by.

“We’re here for long hours, all the time, and we never saw much activity in that unit,” said Will Baumfalk, a surfboard shaper at Chuck Dent, a business directly across from the suite. “All of the other units have a lot of activity, but over there in Unit T there was just an older man who would walk in with a briefcase every few weeks.”

Some employees who worked late Monday said they heard what sounded like gunshots, but investigators can’t confirm those sounds are related to the killing until autopsies are performed to determine the time of death. Autopsies are scheduled for today.

Other building tenants said they didn’t hear anything, although they had also been working late.

“I was here all weekend and I didn’t hear any fireworks,” said Rick Karren, an airbrusher from Creative Color Co. “Anything that happens around here bounces off the buildings, but I didn’t hear anything.”

In the second fatal shooting, a 40-year-old man was killed outside his condominium Monday night, police said.

Roy Martin suffered at least two gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at Huntington Beach Medical Center shortly after the shooting, which occurred about 10:20 p.m.

Martin, who lived alone, was shot in the doorway of his residence in the 600 block of Lake Street, said Lt. Jim Cutshaw of the Huntington Beach police.

Police are interviewing neighbors in the condominium complex who heard gunfire Monday night, Cutshaw said.

Martin was co-owner of Pacific Medical, a Buena Park company that uses mobile medical equipment to conduct high-tech X-ray scans at Southern California hospitals, said Brian Kopec, a friend of Martin’s.

“I can’t imagine anyone doing this,” Kopec said. “Anyone who knew him knew he was a wonderful person. He was an all-around great guy.”