Police Seek to Link Suspect With Other Attacks

Police are looking for other potential victims of a man they say raped and killed one woman and attacked six others near downtown Huntington Beach.

Lt. Chuck Thomas said Thursday that prosecutors will charge Victor M. Miranda-Guerrero, 21, with the murder and rape of Bridgette Elizabeth Ballas, 29, an account executive at Calvin Klein. She was attacked in the early-morning hours of Nov. 27, 1999, while returning home after a night out with friends, police said.

Miranda-Guerrero has already been charged in the other attacks, and police are actively looking for other potential victims, Thomas said.

According to officials, DNA analysis by the Orange County Sheriff’s Crime Lab linked Miranda-Guerrero with the rape and murder. If convicted of the special circumstance of rape, he could receive the death penalty. He is being held in Central Jail on $250,000 bail.

“We are very confident that Miranda-Guerrero is responsible for the murder of Bridgette Ballas and are confident it will go to trial,” Thomas said.

Police had no suspects in the case until May 26, when they said Miranda-Guerrero tried to rape five women in two incidents. Shortly after midnight, they said, he forced his way into a car with four women in it and tried to kidnap the women with the intent of raping them. The women were able to fight off the suspect and flee.

About 15 minutes later, police said, Miranda-Guerrero attacked another woman walking in the area of Walnut Avenue and 5th Street. She also fought off his attack and ran to a police substation. Officers found Miranda-Guerrero near the location of the attack, Thomas said, adding that he did not flee or resist arrest.

Victims of both attacks identified Miranda-Guerrero as their assailant, Thomas said. When police searched Miranda-Guerrero’s Huntington Beach apartment, they said they found evidence linking him to the Ballas homicide, as well as a September 1999 kidnapping and carjacking.

In that incident, police said, Miranda-Guerrero assaulted a woman at that same parking lot in the 200 block of Main Street. She escaped by jumping out of the moving car near Beach and Ellis, sustaining significant injuries.

Miranda-Guerrero appeared in West Justice Center in Westminster on Wednesday on attempted rape charges for the May 26 attacks. The district attorney’s office will charge him in Ballas’ murder at a hearing June 16.

Meanwhile, Huntington Beach officials are working with the Sheriff’s Crime Lab to see if Miranda-Guerrero is connected to any other area attacks. Anyone with information is asked to call the Huntington Beach Police Department information line: (714) 375-5066.