Long Beach Man Suspected in 2 Assaults

SANTA ANA — Investigators are seeking other potential sexual assault victims of a Long Beach man who authorities say used personal ads in Orange County publications to lure at least two women.

Dick Tilman Hunt, 67, was being held without bail Monday at the Orange County Jail on suspicion of assaulting two Orange County women, including a 55-year-old Laguna Niguel woman who allegedly was drugged before the attack, said Sheriff’s Lt. Ron Wilkerson.

Investigators on Monday asked for other women who may have encountered Hunt to contact them. Hunt may have contacted up to 100 women through personal ads he placed, but it is unclear how many he met or may have assaulted, Wilkerson said.

“We’re hoping that some women who may have been attacked will step forward, and others, who may not be aware of an attack, will recognize [Hunt’s] name or his face and remember him,” Wilkerson said. “It’s possible they’ll remember something weird or suspicious, something that bothered them at the time.”

Wilkerson declined to disclose the name of the publications that printed the ads, nor would he discuss the content of the advertisements or how many times they appeared. Hunt has likely been placing ads--and possibly responding to other ones--since early 1996, Wilkerson said.

A search Wednesday of Hunt’s home in the 5100 block of Vista Hermosa Street in Long Beach turned up “a variety of drugs in large amounts,” Wilkerson said, adding that he could not be more specific because the investigation is ongoing. Hunt was arrested Thursday.

An ad placed in July allegedly brought Hunt into contact with a Laguna Niguel woman who accused the Long Beach man of drugging her, Wilkerson said. A follow-up investigation led to the second case, but Wilkerson said Monday he had no details on that alleged attack.