Man Found Shot to Death at Warehouse

A 36-year-old homeless man was found dead at a Ventura moving and storage company Wednesday morning with several bullet wounds to the chest, police said.

David Wayne Dowden was found by an employee at Hilford Moving & Storage at Market Street and Arundell Circle about 9:30 a.m.

The transient’s body was at the back of the company’s warehouse in a large wooden box normally used to store goods outside. The box was a regular sleeping place for Dowden, employees of the company said.

“He never bothered anyone. He never spoke to anyone,” said Gloria Criss, the company’s vice president. “He would only be around really early in the mornings and really late at night. He was usually gone by daylight.”

Criss said Ventura police had on occasion asked Dowden to leave the area when they found him behind the warehouse.

The warehouse is in a primarily industrial area of midtown Ventura.

Police do not know the exact time of Dowden’s death, but said it was at least several hours before the body was discovered. Multiple gunshot wounds led to Dowden’s death, which is being investigated as a homicide, police Lt. Gary McCaskill said.

Officers have been searching the area for witnesses, but have few leads, McCaskill said.

Police ask anyone with information to call Det. Sgt. Bob Anderson at 339-4482 or Det. Pat Stevens at 339-4479.