Residents Meet to Discuss Adobe Falls in Del Cerro Community Meeting

The meeting comes after the sexual assault and murder of a 70-year old woman.

Residents of Del Cerro gathered for a community safety meeting Thursday night after a deadly home invasion and sexual assault less than two weeks ago.

People packed into Temple Emanuel to hear about what was being done to keep them safe from what they see as a growing problem of trespassers in Adobe Falls.

The property is owned by San Diego State University (SDSU).

“You haven’t done anything,” Del Cerro resident Holly Anderson told SDSU officials.

“Get people out of the canyon, make it safe," another resident said.

Residents believe the past two years of escalating issues with Adobe Falls are the cause of the murder of a 74-year-old woman and sexual assault of a 50-year-old woman.

A prowler broke into a home on 5600 block of Mill Peak Rd. around 11:30 p.m. on June 12. The home is located west of College Avenue and north of Interstate 8 in the Del Cerro neighborhood, near Adobe Falls.

Eduardo Torres, 20, accused of killing one woman and injuring the other pleaded not guilty in court.

“No! I don’t feel safe,” exclaimed Holly Anderson.

She has lived in the area 20 years and is horrified by the murder and sexual assault of her neighbor.

Many Del Cerro residents believe Torres gained access to the area from Adobe Falls where they say vandalism and trespassing have sparked increased crime.

“At this stage, there is nothing to point that our suspect Eduardo Tores had anything to do with that canyon or came from that canyon," explained San Diego Police Homicide Detective, David Nisleit.

At the meeting, SDSU campus Chief of Police says they have teamed up with the San Diego Police Department to patrol the area.

Since April,  they have made 70 area response checks and three new trespassing signs will soon be put up. By next fall, a fence will also go up on Mill Peak Road.

"In addition to no trespassing, it can create a physical barrier to keep hikers out,” Nicole Borunda, SDSU Community Relations Manager said.

Del Cerro is San Diego City Councilman Scott Sherman’s district.

He says he is talking to city and university leaders about deeding the property over to the city to turn it into a park with a ranger to patrol it.

Contact Us