Man's Body Found Among Clutter on Patio

San Diego homicide detectives said the victim had suffered blunt force injuries

The body of a 43-year-old man was discovered among clutter on the patio of a home in San Diego’s Rolando area Friday, homicide detectives confirmed.

According to San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Lt. Paul Rorrison, the man’s body was found buried beneath a "bunch of stuff," including clothes and boxes, on the back patio of a home in the 6800 block of Waite Drive, just west of La Mesa.

Police were called to the home just after 9 a.m. and, based on the man’s injuries, soon launched homicide investigation. Lt. Rorrison said the man had suffered blunt force trauma and it appeared some sort of weapon had been used, but the lieutenant could not elaborate further.

He said it appeared the victim had been killed sometime overnight.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s (ME) office will determine a cause and manner of death at a later time.

Five to six people were inside the home when police arrived. Those people were interviewed, but as of Friday afternoon, no arrests had been made in this case.

Lt. Rorrison said the victim did not live at the house but was someone who was known to “frequent” the residence.

Meanwhile, neighbors told NBC 7 they often see numerous people coming and going from the home on Waite Drive. Police said officers had been called out to this home before Friday’s incident.

Some neighbors, including Josefina King, said the street is typically very quiet, so seeing officers and police tape in the area came as a shock.

“I’m surprised, really. It shocks me because here, all this time, we thought we lived in a safe area,” King said. “So to find out there’s a body back there – it’s kind of scary.”

One neighbor who lives directly across the street said he heard screams coming from the home just before police arrived. He said he had heard yelling coming from the residence on prior occasions as well, sometimes at 1 or 2 a.m.

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