CA - Malibu Creek State Park Shooting, Tristan Beaudette, 35, 22 June 2018 *Arrest*

[gitana1]

I am quite confused by this post.

This is what I understand it says:

If you're a SoCal upper-middle class yuppie Bernster you wouldn't be toting a gun or afraid of wildlife in the dark. And only SoCal upper-middle class non-gun-toter yuppie Bernsters get outdoors in this area. So, the shooting of the wildlife biologist couldn't have been an accident.

Unless if maybe it happened in the vicinity of the Grapevine or northwards; then the likelihood of it's being an accident increases dramatically.

My scenario was more about human nature than political inclination:
200 feet from the road? Let me propose a gun-toter who pulled off by the road for a pee and thought he was about to get attacked by an animal, so he shot at where the sound was coming from (the unfortunate wildlife biologist), not being able to see clearly 'n all. Thankfully, no animal attack ensued, so he hauled up trow, jumped back into his vehicle, and with a squeal of tires, got the heck out of there. Shaking all over: animals in the dark, attacking animals, big animals, wild animals, mountain lions coyotes, bears, anything that makes a rustling noise when he can't tell what it is, scare the heck out of him. Whew!

I'll bet the wildlife biologist's hammock was black, dark brown, or dark green.

I rarely use absolutes.

There aren't a lot of people in this area that are toting guns while pulling over to pee because they're terrified of wild animals.

I feel like that would have to be a lot of coincidences for the latest scenario you're proposing to make sense as an accident:

1. A wildlife biologist is sleeping in a dark colored hammock near a road, outside a campground.
2. A car happens to pull over exactly where he is because the occupant has to pee.
3. The person who has to pee conveniently has a loaded shotgun in their vehicle.
4. The person happens to be terrified of wild animals (but still pulls over on a dark road instead of driving about 5-10 minutes either direction to civilization. And instead of peeing right next to the car, he or she inexplicably walks several yards into the dark, away from the road).
5. The person exits their vehicle with a loaded shotgun which they pump/prime to get ready to shot.
6. Despite the fact that this is a relatively quiet area with gravel/dirt roads and not a lot of development, the biologist doesn't hear the car approach, nor the person open their car door, or walk up or pump their shotgun. He hears nothing until the blast.
7. The person with the shotgun has it ready to go in one hand while peeing or getting ready to pee but suddenly hears a small sound and in the dark night is able to accurately shoot downward at the exact location of the apparently crouching animal.
8. The person who accidentally shot the man thinking he was an animal, hears nothing indicating a human was shot -no cry or yell. Or they ignore it and flee to their car that somehow the victim doesn't hear leaving the scene.

It doesn't make sense to me.

Whoever shot that man likely had to be on foot and got close, quietly, before shooting and quietly running away.

I think they probably know the area well.

 

[gitana1]

I agree this is an unlikely scenario.

But the ftr can you believe something like this actually did happen one time? It was strange case. NOT saying this is the case here ONE BIT, TB's family are victims here! Anyway o/t I saw on Forensic Files one time where a woman knew where and when her husband was going to go camping so tried to stage a stray bullet hunting scenario. I forgot what it was that got her caught...again I do not think this is the case here!!!

Scary! For me that would be more of a possibility here if it was hunting season in a hunting area.

 

[ScorpioRising]

So on May 16th 2018 a body was found in a ditch close to the Hindu Temple. Ruled homicide but Malibu Times writes he was just dropped off there. I couldnt find anything about this case being solved. Not a gun used though and likely unrelated but sure a lot going on crime wise close to the camp site. The location of the gun assault on the 18th is shown right above the campsite on the first big intersection at 4:20. Samish time of day samish place samish weapon..and within .the same week.too big of a coincidence for me!

 

[Razz]

We're the camping sites assigned when they got there or could they call ahead and get the site # at that time?

Also, I wonder if LE did a quick search of other tents and cars before everyone was asked to vacate?

 

[RickshawFan]

We're the camping sites assigned when they got there or could they call ahead and get the site # at that time?

Also, I wonder if LE did a quick search of other tents and cars before everyone was asked to vacate?

You can reserve a spot at that campground (I tried!). At a busy time (the campground was almost full), getting a spot on the outside of the loop would likely have required a reservation.

 

[charminglane]

Check the records of campers to the dates of shootings.

Maybe it was a camper after all.

 

[Tbone144]

We're the camping sites assigned when they got there or could they call ahead and get the site # at that time?

Also, I wonder if LE did a quick search of other tents and cars before everyone was asked to vacate?

Webpage seems to indicate you can do online reservations up to 6 months in advance based on availability and parks maximum stay rules. I saw something about not being able to sell your spot after booking but I can’t seem to find that now.

 

[ScorpioRising]

Whats the longest time frame one could camp in the same spot? Maybe somebody was camping long term?

 

[Razz]

You can reserve a spot at that campground (I tried!). At a busy time (the campground was almost full), getting a spot on the outside of the loop would likely have required a reservation.

The reason I ask this is because maybe someone knew ahead of time what site he'd be on. And if not, it would seem less likely that he was targeted.

 

[Tbone144]

So on May 16th 2018 a body was found in a ditch close to the Hindu Temple. Ruled homicide but Malibu Times writes he was just dropped off there. I couldnt find anything about this case being solved. Not a gun used though and likely unrelated but sure a lot going on crime wise close to the camp site. The location of the gun assault on the 18th is shown right above the campsite on the first big intersection at 4:20. Samish time of day samish place samish weapon..and within .the same week.too big of a coincidence for me!

I tried to cross reference the Hindu temple calendar with the shootings/body to see if there were maybe activities that would have drawn large crowds for someone to get lost in. I can only find the 2018 calendar and I think only one of the dates had an important date and most likely not at 4:45 AMwhich may mean the lot was relatively empty and someone was able to park and walk in. Hopefully the Temple has cameras LE can pull to look at. That would be easier access I would think than the pull off further down the road. The potentially closed down Juvenile camp is about 3000 feet from the campground, by my marked post-it and google maps scale.

 

[ScorpioRising]

Campers may stay in the same park up to 30 nights in a calendar year.

 

[Tbone144]

Google search says 12 gauge deer slug will lose 60% of its energy at 100 yards. This would be in reference to the woman’s car that was shot. This is according to American Hunter. I really can’t tell the weight of the slug in the picture.

I also found this reference, not positive on the accuracy but it seems legit.
Slug types and distances

It shows a 1 oz slug traveling up to 3500 feet and a 410 slug about 2750 feet, that’s of course with out anything obstructing it. You start shooting that into the air and you have trajectories and physics I haven’t done since college.

 

[anonypotomous]

You can reserve a spot at that campground (I tried!). At a busy time (the campground was almost full), getting a spot on the outside of the loop would likely have required a reservation.

Reservations are usually made ahead of time? For some reason, I thought this was a spur of the moment trip because the wife was studying for an exam. (and needed her peace and quiet)..

 

[bluesneakers]

I was just wondering. Is it possible there is a ranger gone wrong? A park ranger?

In my googling campground murders that was one of the results - a ranger shot a camper but he wasn’t inside his tent and PB wouldn’t attract attention, would he? I mean IMO no ranger would find him threatening.

 

[i.b.nora]

<modsnip>
She graduated from UC Berkeley as well.

 

[gitana1]

So on May 16th 2018 a body was found in a ditch close to the Hindu Temple. Ruled homicide but Malibu Times writes he was just dropped off there. I couldnt find anything about this case being solved. Not a gun used though and likely unrelated but sure a lot going on crime wise close to the camp site. The location of the gun assault on the 18th is shown right above the campsite on the first big intersection at 4:20. Samish time of day samish place samish weapon..and within .the same week.too big of a coincidence for me!

Where do you find that? And what time did it happen?

 

[gitana1]

We're the camping sites assigned when they got there or could they call ahead and get the site # at that time?

Also, I wonder if LE did a quick search of other tents and cars before everyone was asked to vacate?

Good questions. I wonder how we can find out.

 

[gitana1]

You can reserve a spot at that campground (I tried!). At a busy time (the campground was almost full), getting a spot on the outside of the loop would likely have required a reservation.

So does that mean it was likely reserved ahead of time?

 

[creepcrusher]

LE was probably able to find out right away. Usually you call ahead of time to reserve but if spots are still available then you don’t need to give notice. I think I read that only two spots were vacant at the time of the shooting. That still doesn’t say whether or not they reserved their spots.

 

[i.b.nora]

Identity, Cause of Death Revealed in Calabasas Death

The Malibu Times
May 25, 2018

"The body discovered last Wednesday near Malibu Hindu Temple has been identified as 52-year-old Francisco Reynaldo Cruz, according to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office."

"The spokesperson said the death was "ruled a homicide." Investigators are still looking into the incident.

"He was not killed at that location. He was dropped there," LA County Sheriff's Department Lt. Scott Hoglund said in a phone call with The Malibu Times."