A woman whom police found dead during a roughly five- hour standoff this week in Oceanside was identified along with a possible suspect, authorities said Friday.
Officers arriving at the residence in the 2300 block of Fallingleaf Road, in a neighborhood north of Olive Avenue, about 9 a.m. Tuesday to investigate a report of a disturbance found the woman unresponsive, according to the Oceanside Police Department.
Police were called to a disturbance Tuesday morning where they found an unresponsive woman and a man barricaded in a home on Fallingleaf Road. After a five-hour standoff, the man was taken into custody. NBC 7’s Shandel Menezes has the latest from the scene.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Oceanside resident Bethany Whitwer, 46, on Wednesday.
Based on the investigation, detectives said they have established probable cause to arrest Michael Topping, 69, who was taken into custody by Special Weapons And Tactics personnel when the standoff concluded about 2 p.m. Topping’s city of residence was not provided.
When officers first tried to make contact with Topping, he locked himself in the home, prompting police to call in a SWAT team, OPD spokesperson Gina Avalos said.
Prior to being detained, Topping “inflicted multiple life-threatening injuries to himself,” Avalos said.
He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Topping is now in the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office’s custody, police said.
Police also did not disclose the nature of the relationship, if any, between Whitwer and Topping, nor specify the nature of their injuries.
However, a cross-check of property and court records indicates a man by the same name as the owner of the home was listed as a person of interest Saturday at the same location in connection with a domestic violence complaint. He was then put under a six-day temporary restraining order.
A construction worker witnessed that Saturday police response.
“It’s very sad to see that happen,” he said.
The worker wished not to be identified by name but described the scene at this home much like what he saw Tuesday morning — a lot of police and commotion.
“They got him on Saturday, but I don’t know why they released him, and now we have the lady dead now,” he added.
Authorities urged anyone with additional information to call OPD Detective Ryan Malone at 760-435-4537 or the anonymous tip line at 760-435-4730
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