Tip Leads to Charges in 1995 Slaying of Elderly Oxnard Woman

Authorities have charged an Oxnard man in the slaying of a 73-year-old Oxnard woman who was strangled and beaten and her body dumped in an irrigation ditch near Ormond Beach more than a year ago.

Prosecutors announced Tuesday that charges were filed against 37-year-old Kenneth McKinzie, currently an inmate at Wasco State Prison, in the death of Ruth Eloise Avril on Dec. 21, 1995. McKinzie is charged with murder, robbery and burglary.

He also faces the special allegation that Avril’s slaying occurred during a robbery, which makes him eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

McKinzie’s arrest concludes a murder investigation that had stumped Oxnard police detectives for months.

Avril’s body was found Dec. 22, 1995, in a drainage ditch running along Arnold Road by two surfers on their way to the remote beach at the northern edge of the Point Mugu naval base. Oxnard police were not able to identify the body until they received a missing person’s report on Jan. 1, 1996.

When they went to Avril’s south Oxnard triplex, police discovered that it had been burglarized. Inside, they noticed a portrait that matched the victim and noticed jewelry in the picture that was similar to that recovered from the body.

There were no signs of a struggle or assault.

Avril had been divorced 40 years and lived by herself, authorities said.

About three months later, Avril’s black 1987 Ford Taurus was found behind the Oxnard Elks Club on A Street, parked next to an abandoned travel trailer.

Authorities offered a $1,000 award for information leading to the arrest of suspects in the slaying. But a break in the case did not come until July, when a tipster finally gave police a solid lead.

“It came through a we-tip call,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Donald C. Glynn said. “Somebody called and provided information that put the detectives on the right track, and they ended up with McKinzie.”

McKinzie will be brought from the Kern County prison to Ventura County for arraignment in Municipal Court on April 8.

According to court records, McKinzie has a long criminal history in Ventura County for drug charges and probation violations. He is currently serving time for a 1994 drug crime, records show.

Although there were a few suspects in the case, police said they were stymied before receiving the anonymous tip.

“[Det. Michael] Palmieri ran down those leads and through them made some contacts with individuals that substantiated information that we already had,” said Oxnard Det. Tim Lumas.

The earlier information came from concerned acquaintances of Avril, Lumas said. “They were shocked by what happened to her, and when they found out things or heard things, they let us know about it,” the detective said.

“She was a nice old lady,” he said. “Nice to everybody in her neighborhood.”