Anxiety, mystery surround fatal stabbing in Costa Mesa neighborhood

Neighborhood residents are uneasy in the wake of the mysterious stabbing death of a 40-year-old man found bleeding in front of a Costa Mesa home on Saturday afternoon.

Authorities have been tight-lipped about the man’s identity and the circumstances of his death, though they have said the case is being investigated as a homicide.

Orange County coroner’s officials said an autopsy has been completed, but they declined to release the man’s name or cause of death.

“We haven’t notified the next of kin,” said Daniel Aikin, supervising deputy coroner.

Neighborhood residents interviewed Thursday said they believe the attack occurred on the curb in the 2900 block of Peppertree Lane. One resident said the man stumbled and collapsed on the front lawn of the home. A neighbor called police around 4:30 p.m., authorities said.

Paramedics took the man to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he was pronounced dead at 5:30 p.m., according to the coroner’s office.

Residents said they saw the victim and another man in an unfamiliar brown car on the street. They described the victim as a heavy-set Latino and the other man, who was driving the car, as bald with several tattoos.

A neighbor who asked not to be identified said the owner of the house removed patches of bloody grass where the victim fell. The owner was not home Thursday afternoon.

“It’s definitely scary to know that it happened right in front of my house,” the neighbor said. “It makes me more wary to coming out and walking my dog. I am very focused now on who is out here and what’s happening. To have blood outside of your house is quite scary.”

She said she may put security cameras on the front of her house to try to increase safety.

The stabbing came as a shock to Lidia Zelaya, who has lived for more than four years in the area, which she described as safe and tight-knit.

“I feel a little bit unsafe,” Zelaya said. “It’s shocking because we don’t see things like this with the police coming here for any trouble around the neighborhood. It’s surprising to find out that somebody was stabbed, because this area is really peaceful.”

Zelaya said she will be more cautious about her surroundings.

Resident Melody Peotter said the slaying doesn’t change her mind about her neighborhood being safe, but it does raise her awareness about being more careful.

“It definitely makes me think twice about going out, especially after dark,” Peotter said. “But I … don’t necessarily feel unsafe. It’s just thinking twice and being smart.”

Some residents plan to start a Neighborhood Watch committee in association with the Costa Mesa Police Department.

“This has never happened before, so it would be a good idea to see who our neighbors are, especially since we had a dead person found around here,” Zelaya said. “It would be a good idea for the kids.”

Staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report.