Man Found Shot to Death at Home

A 63-year-old Huntington Beach man was found lying dead in his driveway Friday with a gunshot wound to the head, a bewildering killing that investigators said left them with few clues.

Donald McGuire, who lived alone in his home in the 16500 block of Hart Circle, was found lying face down in a pool of blood in front of his home about 8:40 a.m. A man distributing fliers promoting a local carnival made the discovery, police said.

“We really have very little to go on,” Huntington Beach Police Lt. Luis Ochoa said late Friday.

Police initially thought McGuire had collapsed and died of a heart attack. But after a preliminary investigation, deputy coroners discovered he was shot once in the head, Ochoa said.

“At first, it looked like he had fallen and was bleeding from a head injury,” Ochoa said. “After investigators found a gunshot wound to his head, it’s apparent this is a homicide.”

Judging from the condition of McGuire’s body, investigators said it appears he was killed Thursday night.

Authorities spent Friday searching McGuire’s home and interviewing neighbors and relatives in an effort to determine a motive for the shooting.

There were no signs of forced entry, and McGuire’s front door was open, Ochoa said. No weapon was found.

McGuire worked sporadically as an electrician and juggled other odd jobs, including a brief stint at a Newport Beach bagel shop, neighbors said.

He led a solitary life and was described by neighbors as a reserved man.

“He was kind of a recluse,” said longtime neighbor James Ziegler, who has lived in the area 31 years. “He just stayed in the house all the time.

“He used to drop bagels off at our house every now and then,” Ziegler added.

McGuire moved to his small street with his wife and two children about 22 years ago. McGuire has lived alone for the past several years, neighbors said. They said that in recent months, they had seen even less of McGuire and that his health had seemed to be declining.

The investigation is continuing, and police ask anyone with information to call them at (714) 960-8809.