Neighbors, Co-Workers of Costa Mesa Stabbing Victim Mourn Her Loss

In her neighborhood, Donna Jacobson was known as a friendly woman who would always smile and wave as she walked her two dachshunds, Jake and Elwood.

A day after Jacobson, a 59-year-old accounting manager at the Daily Pilot, was stabbed to death during an apparent robbery attempt, residents on the 1800 block of Anaheim Avenue wondered aloud about the safety of their neighborhood.

A suspect was arrested after a second woman escaped an attacker a few minutes later, police said.

“She was always friendly,” said Dan Berger, 42, a neighbor in Jacobson’s condominium complex. “I’ve lived here 14 years, and we’ve never had any trouble like this at all. Everyone is saddened. We just loved her.”

A neighbor discovered Jacobson’s body near her car in a carport about 7 p.m. Sunday, Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Clay Epperson said. She was pronounced dead of numerous stab wounds at the scene, Epperson said.

About 10 minutes after the discovery, a 47-year-old woman reported fighting off an attacker armed with a knife who came up behind her as she walked to her car about a block away on the 500 block of West 19th Street, Epperson said.

The woman fought the attacker, broke free and fled, Epperson said. She suffered a cut to the wrist during the attack. She was treated at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach and later released.

“The suspect was seen running from the parking lot near a strip mall, and police responded and got the guy after they blocked off the area,” Epperson said.

Omar Coyotzin Rivera, 18, of Costa Mesa was being held without bail at the Costa Mesa City Jail on suspicion of murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

A knife was recovered, Epperson said.

Jacobson was employed at the Daily Pilot for 15 years, said Steve Marble, the newspaper’s managing editor.

On Monday, newspaper employees mourned the loss of Jacobson, who was described as someone who cared more for others than herself, Marble said.

“We just saw her on Saturday night when we held our Christmas party,” Marble said. “She and her husband were the first ones on the dance floor. She was very outgoing. She had an effervescent personality.”

Residents were surprised that violence could occur in their neighborhood, which is in the southwest portion of the city, south of 19th Street.

Across the street from the murder scene, John Lavre, 40, who provides child-care services at the Downtown Community Center in Lions Park, was saddened by the news.

“It’s a shock that it happened right across the street here,” Lavre said. “I’ve been down here for 17 years, and it’s been a very safe place to live and work.”

Last Friday, residents at Jacobson’s complex spent their evening singing Christmas carols in preparation for the holidays.

“It’s that kind of a neighborhood here,” Berger said. “We had people playing instruments and everything.”