Roundup: Cold case cracked 20 years after Moorpark murder, more news
Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:
Arrest made in 20-year-old murder case
Ventura County Sheriff's officials said they have cracked a Moorpark murder case after two decades with the arrest of a Victorville man.
The victim, 71-year-old Dennis Leroy Wood, was found dead at his home on April 16, 2004. Deputies had responded to the 12500 block of Mountain Trail Street to check on his well-being. The street borders the Moorpark High School campus.
Wood had been shot in an apparent homicide, authorities said in a news release Wednesday. The case eventually went cold after all leads had been investigated.
Last year, detectives with the sheriff's cold case unit identified a suspect while reviewing the case. They reopened it and reportedly uncovered evidence linking the suspect to the murder.
On Tuesday, they arrested Antoine Nehme, 72, on suspicion of murder, felony conspiracy and solicitation of murder, jail records show.
Sgt. Albert Ramirez, who supervises detectives with the cold case unit, said Nehme and Wood knew each other and conducted business together. At the time of Wood's death, Nehme live in Newbury Park, he said.
Wood had been a salesman of prepaid phone cards, Ramirez said. Evidence obtained during the investigation indicates the murder was allegedly done for financial gain, he said.
Ramirez said no additional information could be released prior to a preliminary hearing in court.
Nehme remained housed at the county's main jail Wednesday afternoon with bail set at $2 million, jail records show.
Arraignment was scheduled for Thursday afternoon in room 13 of Ventura County Superior Court. Although charges had not been filed by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office as of Wednesday afternoon, a DA spokesperson said prosecutors would file charges before the hearing.
Last week, Ventura Police Department officials said they had solved a 1991 murder case. That case used modern DNA tests and new forensic techniques to identify the alleged killer, who died in 1999.
Man injured in T.O. stabbing
A man was stabbed in the leg Tuesday night in Newbury Park.
The incident was reported about 10:20 p.m. in the 600 block of Avenida del Platino, said Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. Rob Yoos. The block is in a residential enclave on the north side of Highway 101, west of Ventu Park Road.
The man claimed multiple people jumped him and someone stabbed him in the leg with a knife, Yoos said.
The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of the wound, which was not considered life-threatening.
Investigators are looking for witnesses and don’t believe the stabbing is random.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's nonemergency line at 805-654-9511.
Items may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: Cold case cracked 20 years after Moorpark murder, more news
