U.S. News

Actions

Calif. Man Charged In Serial Killings Dies Before Trial

Twenty-five-year-old Itzcoatl Ocampo died Thursday after being found sick in his cell Wednesday. The cause of death hasn't been determined.
Posted
and last updated

A Southern California man accused of killing six people in late 2011 and early 2012 has died after deputies found him sick in his jail cell.

Twenty-five-year-old Itzcoatl Ocampo was found in his jail cell Wednesday evening. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died Thursday afternoon. (Via KABC)

So far, a cause of death hasn't been determined for the former Marine accused of killing several people. In October 2011, prosecutors say Ocampo stabbed his childhood friend and his friend's mother to death. (Via KNBC)

The other four people Ocampo was accused of killing were all homeless men living in different parts of the Los Angeles area. Ocampo wasn't arrested until after a witness spotted and chased him in a mobile home park in January 2012. (Via KCBS)

Prosecutors believed the suspected killer was stalking the homeless and might have had a goal of killing 16 people. 

The Orange County district attorney's spokeswoman told the Los Angeles Times Californians should be disappointed the man prosecutors wanted to put to death won't go to trial.

​"It really deprives the victims and the people of California of the ability to put Mr. Ocampo to death on our terms and get justice for the victims of these crimes."

According to KABC, Ocampo was supposed to go to trial in May 2014. The Orange County district attorney's office is investigating Ocampo's death. An autopsy on Ocampo is also expected sometime in the next few days.