Huntington Beach Man Beaten To Death At His Front Door
HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA) — A Huntington Beach neighborhood is on edge after learning that a neighbor was beaten to death at his front door -- and while it was still light out.
CBS2's Michele Gile spoke to neighbors who were stunned.
She said the 7800 block of Ellis Avenue is busy adding to the mystery of how this could happen.
"His head was by the wall right there. There was a lot of blood," said Servando Barella.
He found his long time friend -- a man in his 70's named Richard -- unconscious just after 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Barella says Richard was beaten by an unknown attacker right at his front door.
"I think somebody come and knocked on the door and he opened the door and punched him and put him on the ground and started kicking," said Barella.
Huntington Beach police aren't saying much.
Barella told Gile he may have seen the person responsible for the murder. He saw a man walking through the small apartment complex on Ellis Avenue after the beating.
The man was nervous and said he was looking for a friend, Barella says.
Barella says the victim's wife was home and came out screaming when she saw her husband.
The couple has lived in the apartment for more than 20 years.
The questions remain. Who would want to kill Richard -- and why?
"It's a pretty safe neighborhood," said neighbor Nicole Sutton, "but it's pretty scary that this happens right near where you live."