Editor’s Note: It was a long agonizing 11 months before family, friends and the Malibu community, ultimately learned the fate of Mitrice Richardson, who had gone missing after the Malibu/Lost Hills Station released her shortly after midnight on September 17th, 2009. Richardson had no car, cash, cell phone, or any other means to get her to safety.
The troubling details surrounding her arrest, her time at the station and her subsequent disappearance, are the subject of a clue-driven, on-going investigation.
On August 9th, 2010, Mitrice Richardson’s body was discovered by State Parks Rangers on a creek bed in Dark Canyon, just a mere 1.5 miles where she was allegedly last seen. Activist Ronda Hampton, who was close to Richardson, has spearheaded the decade long journey for justice and finding those responsible for Mitrice’s death. Hampton, a contributor with The Local Malibu, reminisced about the day Mitrice was found, and the extraordinary efforts by individuals to usher those close to her to the very remote spot where her body was found to honor and memorialize her.
An aerial map showing the remote location where Richardson’s body was found August 9th, 2010.
“It was August 9th, 2010 and I was just leaving a lunch date with my husband and daughter when I received a text message from Tashaka Starwell who was a volunteer with the Los Angeles County REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Team). The REACT Team is a volunteer organization that provides public service communications to individuals, organizations and governmental agencies in an effort to protect and save lives. In the message Tashaka stated that rangers had discovered partially mummified human skeletal remains in the Monte Nido area. Concerned that it might be Mitrice Richardson, he met myself, Latice Sutton (Mitrice’s mother) and Lauren Sutton (Mitrice’s aunt) at the area which was used as staging for the media who was there to cover the story.
We met Tashaka Starwell early on in our search for Mitrice as he and his team had been very helpful in setting up searches and teaching us the ins and outs of mountainous searches, so it was rather serendipitous that he was monitoring the radio on the day her remains were discovered. When we arrived at the location at approximately 3pm,Tashaka was already there to greet us and explain what was going on. Tashaka ensured that we understood all that was occurring at the site and served as a liaison between us and law enforcement.
“I can still remember the anxiety of that day 10 years ago and I will never forget how overwhelming it was knowing that the body that was discovered on August 9th, 2010 was that of Mitrice Richardson.”
Chip Croft was also there at site on the day Mitrice Richardson’s remains were discovered. Chip had already volunteered hundreds of hours in searching for Mitrice, talking to community members, speaking at council meetings and often times offering comfort during the long endless searchers and flyer distributions. When it became clear that we needed more media coverage to encourage more searchers to volunteer, Chip began video taping our efforts and uploading them on social media to inform the public of the circumstances of her missing status. Eventually that video footage was compiled into a documentary, Lost Compassion, which chronicled our search for Mitrice.
I can still remember the anxiety of that day 10 years ago and I will never forget how overwhelming it was knowing that the body that was discovered on August 9th, 2010 was that of Mitrice Richardson. While there was some relief in knowing that she was no longer alone in the canyon, the pain that she was gone was almost unbearable. My memories of the pain of that day are often softened by knowing that complete strangers like Tashaka and Chip were so concerned about the life of someone they did not even know that they would devote endless hours in an effort to bring her home.
As efforts continue to fight for justice for Mitrice and find those responsible for her death, I have to remember that there are good people in the world like Tashaka, Chip and countless others who devoted so much time and energy in seeking justice for Mitrice. I have to remember that Mitrice’s life touched many people in the most positive of ways and that her life had and has meaning. I have to remember these things so that my view of human nature is not tainted by the instances of negativity of the situation but focused on the overwhelming amount love that has been shown to Mitrice, even now, ten years later.”
Memorial outside the Malibu/Lost Hills Station remembering the 10-year anniversary of Mitrice Richardson’s disappearance.
L.A. County officials announced Monday, May 11th, the long anticipated and controversial issue of re-opening L.A. County Beaches. Health officials outlined the first phase where physical distancing and wearing masks while participating in activities such as walking, running, and biking will continue to be part of the safety measures in place to slow the spread of the COVID19 virus. Congregating, lounging and sunbathing are prohibited. Officials will be monitoring crowd compliance, and the potential rise in contamination should mandates not be followed, before considering lifting protocols.
Surfers at Zuma Beach before the pandemic.
“We don’t want a stampede to the beaches,” Nicole Mooradian, public information officer for L.A. County’s Department of Beaches and Harbors, told the Los Angeles Times. She added that they expect this first step of opening to last about six weeks. “It could be shorter and it could be longer. It just depends on how many people come, and what the attendance looks like.”
Orange County was the center of controversy after Governor Gavin Newsom ordered beaches to shut down, after crowds acted in defiance of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Most beaches have since re-opened for passive recreation only.
Additionally, protestors gathered in Huntington Beach near the pier in Huntington Beach on Saturday to reiterate their calls for the reopening of California’s economy during the coronavirus pandemic. Approximately 1,500 people gathered in the area around 2 p.m., according to the Huntington Beach Police Department, but the protest carried on without incidents and no arrests were made. Many of the protesters were seen without facial coverings and were also seemingly defying physical distancing guidelines.
In stark contrast to Orange County, deputies patrolled empty beaches along the coast from Topanga to Ventura County Line reporting very few incidents. Most visitors and local residents have complied with the county orders and few citations have been issued according to law enforcement.
Lost Hills Station deputy Steve Arens patrolling Zuma Beach.Deputies patrolling Zuma Beach Saturday, May 9th.LASD Mounted Patrol, Zuma Beach, May 2nd
One incident however did make headlines shortly after the beaches were ordered closed when a paddle boarder from Pacific Palisades ignored L.A. County Lifeguards demands to exit the ocean. An LASD boat was brought in from Marina Del Rey Station to assist, and once the Sheriff’s boat arrived on scene, the suspect then complied and swam to shore. The suspect was arrested for Disobeying a Lifeguard 17.12.115 LACC and Violation of Government Code 8665. A surfer was also escorted off the beach when he refused to leave and given a $1000 citation.
Ventura County was slow to react to complaints of crowds congregating at the popular County Line surf spot closing that location on April 5th while allowing parking on PCH still drawing crowds. Officials finally closed parking on along PCH on April 30th from Point Mugu south to the Los Angeles County line.
CalTrans closing off parking on PCH April 30th.
Lost Hills Acting Captain Chuck Becerra told The Current Report deputies will continue to be on tactical alert on the weekends anticipating crowds for Memorial Day, which in years past has seen approximately 200,000 visitors over the four day holiday.
Trails were re-opened last weekend with mixed reviews, which if obeying the health officer mandates becomes an issue, Senator Henry Stern warned the public officials will not hesitate to shut the recreational areas down again.
Governor Newsom is expected to make a statement this week outlining the lifting of additional limitations should L.A. County remain on track with slowing the spread of the virus. “Millions of Californians answered the call to stay home and thanks to them, we are in a position to begin moving into our next stage of modifying our stay-at-home order,” said Governor Newsom. “But make no mistake – this virus isn’t gone.
Yesterday was a busy day at Malibu’s world renowned First Point.
Deputies patrolled the popular surf break citing multiple offenders which includes arresting on paddle boarder. Lost Hills Station confirmed that all complied when asked to leave the beach.
The paddle boarder, from Pacific Palisades, ignored L.A. County Lifeguards demands to exit the ocean and remained in the water for approximately 30-40 minutes. An LASD boat was brought in from Marina Del Rey Station to assist, and once the Sheriff’s boat arrived on scene, the suspect then complied and swam to shore. The suspect was arrested for Disobeying a Lifeguard 17.12.115 LACC and Violation of Government Code 8665. He was booked at the Lost Hills station and subsequently released with a promise to appear in court. According to our sources, the suspect told officers his actions would now earn him”street cred” and was allegedly unfazed by his actions that carry stiff legal penalties resulting from the Stay at Home order on March 19th by Governor Newsome in response to the rapidly growing Covid-19 virus.
L.A. County Lifeguards and LASD coordinate in the water to bring a rogue paddle boarder disobeying orders to exit the ocean at First Point.
“To protect public health, I as state public health officer and director of the California Department of Public Health, order all individuals living in the state of California to stay home or at their place of residence except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure sectors,” stated Newsom in his order.
The order is enforceable by law, and the Office of Emergency Services has been given the authority to take necessary steps to ensure its compliance. This order utilizes California Government Code section 8665, which mandates that any person who violates or willfully neglects to obey the shelter in place order can be found guilty of a misdemeanor. Failure to adhere is punishable by a fine up to $1,000, a maximum sentence of six months jail time, or both.
A surfer escorted off the beach yesterday was cited for violating government code 8665.
Aside from the legal consequences, there is a growing health concern among scientists including Kim Prather, a leading atmospheric chemist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography who was interviewed by the L.A. Times.
“I wouldn’t go in the water if you paid me $1 million right now,” she said.
In her research, Prather has found that the ocean churns up all kinds of particulate and microscopic pathogens, and every time the ocean sneezes with a big wave or two, it sprays these particles into the air. She believes that this new coronavirus is light enough to float through the air much farther than we think. The six-feet physical distancing rule, she said, doesn’t apply at the beach, where coastal winds can get quite strong and send viral particles soaring.
Many beachgoers know they can suffer skin rashes, stomach illness and serious ear and respiratory infections if they go into the water within three days of a heavy rain, because of bacteria and pathogens washing off roads and into the ocean. Raw or poorly treated sewage entering the ocean also poses major health risks.
During the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project biologists and scientists weighed in on the faulty septic systems in the Colony that contributed to contributing to a toxic surf break at First Point.
The excavation during the project discovered some of the adjacent Colony houses to the lagoon had covert illegal discharge pipes that led into the back of the lagoon. Several eye witnesses claim that at least one particular home owner would sump pump untreated human waste of his submerged flooded septic through his illegal discharge pipe directly into the lagoon. The EPA deemed that area of the lagoon a “Dysfunctional Death Zone” and surfers referred to it as the “Polio Pond.”
Regardless of known health risks regarding close contact during the Covid-19 health crisis, State Parks and Ventura County have been less than motivated to enforce state mandates based on the crowds that continue to congregate at Ventura County Line, and Neptune’s Net, a tourist destination who has been overwhelmed trying to implement social distancing according to public health guidelines. The first weekend of the Stay at Home Order, owner Margaret Cho told The Local Malibu they “didn’t expect anyone because of the Stay at Home order and was completely unprepared for the crowds”. They have since constructed barriers to limit crowds from gathering.
Crowds gathered at Neptune’s Net the first weekend of the Stay at Home order resulting in additional protection measures set up by the owners.
Repeated efforts have been made by community members putting pressure on lawmakers to enforce the government codes at County Line are expected to result in closing off of access to the County Line surf spot any day now requiring law enforcement to fine or arrest violators going forward.
A prominent topic in City Council recently has been debate over whether or not the City should consider changing its electoral structure from the current at-large system to a by-district system. Under pressure from the threat of a lawsuit by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project for violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) of 2001, Malibu is now joining a list of California cities facing huge legal fees to prove that the current at-large system does not result in the “impairment of minority groups’ ability to elect they preferred candidate or influence the outcome of elections, which occurs when the electorate votes in a racially polarized manner.”
This effort, as I see it, would be laughable if the potential costs were not so prohibitive, and if the burden of proof was not on the city to prove they are not encouraging racial polarization rather than on the challengers to prove they were. The results of capitulating to a by-district system would be the drawing of 5 separate and distinct districts where city council members would be elected by residents within each district. While one could legitimately make the argument that having representatives from geographical distinct districts would make those reps more sensitive to the needs of the individual communities within the city, the cost of political tribalism at a time of serious political divisiveness and dysfunction would both clog the system of action and further alienate an already cynical and angry electorate.
As a past and potential future candidate for City Council I might be expected to embrace a system that limits the area to seek votes, particularly since I reside on the eastern end of the city, however I am supportive of the notion that it is more important for the future of the community that each council member have general knowledge of the entire community, rather than be subjected to local parochial concerns.
I spent over four decades involved in public service and governmental policy making and truly believe that policy over politics is needed now more than ever. It is possible to maintain personal integrity while promoting a system responsible to the people and forward looking, my career and my extensive writings (two books and over 850 published articles) are proof that it can be done. If I thought for one-second that this community was promoting discrimination over any minority or minority community within it I would be shouting from the rooftops about the need to correct it. While the proponents of the lawsuit may be well intentioned it appears to me as though they are proposing a solution in search of a problem, and of course while the legal establishment will ultimately reap large rewards for such a fight, I simply do not see where there is evidence that an issues exists.
Concurrent with this development, there are murmurings of dissatisfaction with the current council-manager governmental structure which runs the city. For purposes of background, I spent six years as Assistant Executive Director of the US Conference of Mayors, a non-partisan organization of Mayors representing cities over 30,000 in population that was established in 1932 in the shadow of the Great Depression. In essence, I represented the nation’s cities in Washington, DC on issues large and small, with a particular emphasis on economic and budget issues (I also spent 6 years previously on the US Senate Budget Committee as Senior Economic Counsel to a US Senator).
Thus, I am fairly experienced with urban issues and local government structures. Essentially municipalities are split into two-forms of government: council-manager and Mayor-council. Additionally Mayor-council forms of government are split among Strong Mayor and “Weak” Mayor models. Most smaller municipalities have adopted the council-manager form of government, Malibu fits this category, in response to Progressive Era reforms in the first part of the 20th century to limit excessive politicalization of policy decisions inherent in the spoils system of political machines.
In a council–manager government, an elected city council serves as the city’s primary legislative body and appoints a chief executive officer called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations, to draft a budget, and to implement and enforce the council’s policy and legislative initiatives. The Mayor is largely ceremonial and selected amongst and by city council members.
In a “weak” Mayor-council form of government City Council has legislative and executive authority, the Mayor cannot appoint or remove officials, and lacks veto power over council. In a strong Mayor-council system the Mayor has almost total administrative authority, political independence, and the power to appoint and dismiss department heads without council approval. In some instances, the Mayor may appoint either their chief-of-staff or a Chief Administrative Officer who is responsible only to the Mayor.
If there is a move to move to a strong Mayor system of government it would have the advantage of centralizing power to an elected official who could be held accountable to the public. Of course, there is no guarantee, except at the ballot box, that concentration of power might not lead to actions that might be viewed as suspect. On the other hand the ultimate check is upon the individual who must face the voters.
As someone who wishes to serve the community to the best of my abilities I have no preference one way or the other and feel the decision on which form of government best suits the needs of the community ought to be decided by the citizens themselves. The important thing is that there are alternatives and options, each carrying with them pros and cons. I have had largely positive experiences with strong Mayors of major cities who deeply care for and are a part of “their” communities.
Former Milwaukee Mayor Henry Maier, who was elected Mayor and served for 28 years once was asked by a news reporter when he was going to consider running for higher office. His curt response was, “there is no higher office.” In a conversation with former Pennsylvania Mayor and Governor Ed Rendell I once asked him why he was not running for US Senator in 2000, he patiently explained that there were two basic types of political temperaments, one was legislative and the other was executive. The former required the ability to get along with colleagues, the latter required the ability to make decisions. His temperament clearly was that of an executive.
I have known and been mentored by great local leaders, Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, Atlanta Mayors Maynard Jackson and Andy Young, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley just to name a few. All were strong Mayors in every sense of the word. Many Mayors who would later become Members of Congress would personally lament the fact that they did not feel in control like when they were chief executive of their cities.
Whatever and whichever way the discussion of governmental structure develops the most important thing will be to put this city on a glide path to sustainability and resiliency. While important decisions need to be made regarding the current state of affairs it is essential that we focus on a long-term plan that benefits future generations. That must be the goal of any discussions of how to proceed. I feel confident that the citizens will make the right decision.
Mayor Pro-Team Mikke Pierson pulled a fast one after Monday night’s Planning Commission meeting removing pro-preservation Planning Commissioner Kraig Hill from his position.
Hill, placed on the Commission by Pierson in early 2019, was asked to serve and support the majority commission who has been successful holding City staff accountable for their obvious, continuous rule-bending and favoritism extended to developers special interests. However, it seems Pierson has changed his focus for his choice for commissioner
In a statement released Wednesday Hill said: “I was let go as Planning Commissioner by Mikke Pierson after our Monday night meeting, for doing my job too well. I had thought the job was to read the planning codes and make sure they’re applied correctly, not to bend the rules just because someone bent them before, to make certain people happy.”
Who are the “certain people” Hill is referring is to? In this case, Architect Doug Burdge. Mayor Pro-Tem Pierson supported Burdge’s project, even with the knowledge as a former planning commissioner, passing the project violated the “2/3 Rule” in the planning code.
A Doug Burdge project overlooking Zuma Bluffs
“Had the Commission voted “yes” the way Mikke wanted, it would have allowed a structure substantially larger than what’s allowed under the code approved by both the City Council and the Coastal Commission.” Hill said in his open letter to the community. “Ironically, this project was exactly the sort that he instructed me to reject when he appointed me to the Planning Commission.”
Pierson’s close ties to former Council member Laura Rosenthal and her developer/special interests relationships screams a strategy of political posturing and strategic planning to replace Hill with a pro-development candidate potentially running in the November election for Malibu City Council.
When I asked Pierson if that was his intent, he denied the strategy, however, actions speak louder than words. To pull a very qualified and passionate community member like Hill from the commission, because of his unwillingness to disregard planning code for a developer, sends a very clear message: Money talks, council listens.
The suspect in a sexual assault in the civic center area was apprehended Wednesday morning at 6:16 a.m., during a vehicle stop near the 19100 block of PCH as confirmed by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
Identified as Matthew Fairchild, born 6-10-1985, from La Grange Georgia is in currently in custody with bail set at $1 million dollars.
The news of the sexual assault was released by our publication Monday afternoon after we were contacted by a resident living in the complex where the assault occurred. The resident, very concerned about the handling of this incident by the deputies, and the failure to release a Public Safety Alert by the Lost Hills Station (the suspect was still at large), asked for our assistance to alert the community.
Deputies arrived at the scene in the early morning hours of February 8th, engaging in inappropriate questioning of the victim and demeaning behavior, although there was extensive footage of Fairchild roaming the halls of the buildings, and committed lewd acts captured on the security cameras. The officers did not interview the security guard, or review footage at the scene, and minimized the crime to “trespassing”. No report was taken.
The victim contacted the Lost Hills station later that day to file a complaint against the officers. The Watch Sargent on duty dispatched deputies to the scene again to take a thorough report.
Upon learning the details of the incident, The Local Malibu forwarded the information directly to Sheriff Villanueva, who has an open door policy with local activists and watchdogs, informing him of the gross mishandling of the sexual assault, and the cover-up of the crime by the Lost Hills Station.
While the news of the sexual predator on the loose, and LASD’s failure to release a public safety alert, reverberated through the community, Sheriff’s Department headquarters went into damage control immediately, releasing a bulletin with suspect information, and prepared for a changes in personnel at the Lost Hills Station.
The fallout from LASD Headquarters included the transfer and demotion of Captain, Matt Vander Horck, and removal of the officers involved from patrol, placing them on administrative duties pending further investigation. Acting Captain Chuck Becerra, who was in charge of the Lost Hills Station before Vander Horck, has returned to run the station.
The Local Malibu received the details leading to Fairchild’s capture Wednesday morning shortly after his arrest on PCH. According to our sources, Fairchild had been seen around the community for quite some time, performing odd jobs. A community member who had hired him from time to time recognized his photo on the LASD Bulletin and contacted authorities immediately. The community member supplied video footage of the suspect’s vehicle and license plate information captured on his security cameras and continued to work with authorities exclusively until the suspect was captured.
Fairchild has a history of drug use and potential acts of violence arrested in Florida in July, 2015, for assault with intent to commit bodily harm, again for the same charge in Santa Monica, July, 2018. He also has repeated arrests for drug possession in Ventura County, Santa Monica, throughout 2018/19, and was in Lost Hills Station custody for possession of a controlled substance in 2018.
More updates on this case after Fairchild’s arraignment.
EDITOR’S UPDATE: LASD and Malibu Search and Rescue will be conducting a much wider search at 7:30 am on Saturday February 15th with a 40 member crew including rescuers from outlying areas.
Beloved Malibu resident, 53 year old Julia Snyder, reportedly went missing last weekend somewhere between Saturday February 8th/Sunday, February 9th. Snyder believed to have left her home in her pajamas and slippers leaving her belongings behind.
Malibu Search and Rescue performed searches Monday night and Tuesday. Monday’s rescue included one K-9 and 9 SAR rescuers who searched at night. Tuesday’s search included 12 rescuers from SAR, K-9, and an Aero helicopter equipped with infrared and body heat sensor. Search and Rescue performed over-the-side searches with ropes in steep terrain. Both searches were inconclusive.
LASD and Malibu Search and Rescue on scene in Latigo Canyon searching for missing Malibu resident Julia Snyder. Photo: JC 360 Media/The Local Malibu
LASD/Lost Hills deputies door knocked throughout the area gathering whatever information they could to help locate Snyder.
Authorities are preparing for more possible searches this weekend.
Concerned community members also conducted private searches for Snyder as well. One source confirms on their search;
“We parked on turnouts a mile in each direction using binoculars in the gullies, looked for skid marks, fabric, hair, blood etc… but found nothing. We also drove to the trailhead, hiked the creek and trail for less than a mile until it was overgrown. No broken branches, no foot prints, nothing. We looked in culverts, drainpipes and even looked in the water tank. Again, nothing. SAR appeared to be concentrating on her street. At one point, the SAR K-9 vehicle sped up Latigo Canyon past her house sirens blaring, but it came back 20 minutes later.” (Per Malibu SAR, their vehicle sped up canyon to respond to a car over the rise, it turns out it was an older vehicle and not related to Snyder’s case.)
Reports of a white SUV was spotted at 615 a.m. Sunday morning on a neighbor’s security camera who lives across the street from Snyder. However, no plates or further identifying information was visible in order to make contact with the owner of the vehicle.
LASD Homicide is the lead on this case and is currently processing Snyder’s cell phone.
Although Snyder suffered from mental illness (bipolar disorder), she was described as being in “good spirits” the night before she reportedly disappeared. Longtime friend Malibu local Yole Barrera, said on Facebook: “I had dinner with her (Snyder) Friday night and she was in great spirits, and super excited about showing off photos of her new rebuild after the fire.”
The search for Snyder continues.
If you have any information in this case, contact LASD/ Homicide Detective Morris 323-890-5500
Billionaire Developer/Owner of Malibu Colony Plaza at Standstill Against Vagrancy and Crime
By Cece Woods
In May 2016, the Metro line began service from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. The easy access to the west side by criminals and vagrants generated a noticeable uptick in crime in Malibu. The increased criminal activity has reached levels of extreme concern for public safety.
Most business owners, including the Malibu Country Mart, Whole Foods, and the Lumber Yard, have hired additional armed security presence, a strategy that significantly improves safety and shopping experience for residents and visitors. This effort has proven to be largely successful in reducing crime and keeping vagrants off the properties.
IPS has been an integral part of security strategy and multiple shopping complexes deterring criminal vagrants from loitering and committing crimes.
However, one shopping center, Malibu Colony Plaza, owned by Malibu resident billionaire Stan Kroenke, is now a hub for vagrants and criminals who find it a convenient place to stay because their guards are unwilling, or incapable, of actually doing the job to keep visitors safe.
Kroenke purchased the property in 2005, is currently listed on Forbes at #49 (as of 1/10/20) with a net worth of $9.7B. Kroenke is also rated by Daily Mail as the fifth largest property owner in the United States, owning 1.4M acres.
Billionaire developer and owner of the LA Rams, Stan Kroenke. PC: Nick Potts
Tenants, activists, residents, and powerful members of the community who socialize with Kroenke, have made repeated attempts to reason with Kroenke Group for the last few years to clean up the center. Activists and concerned residents often take to social media posting harrowing experiences with vagrancy including incidents of harassment, vehicle break-ins, violent attacks, and individuals defecating and urinating in public areas on Kroenke’s property. Appeals for added security have gone ignored by the billionaire developer who allows this unsafe and unsanitary activity to continue on his property.
Homeless woman defecating in public on Billionaire Stan Kroenke’s Malibu Colony Plaza.
Kroenke’s failure to provide adequate security, despite his alleged wealth, adds undue pressure on the Lost Hills Sheriff’s station who were forced to step up their patrols to Kroenke’s property, wasting taxpayer resources on this center, leaving other areas of Malibu (serviced by LASD) vulnerable to criminal activity.
Many of the retail spaces have remained vacant for over a decade, attracting criminal activity and the center’s unarmed, untrained personnel are often seen socializing with vagrants rather than protecting patrons and tenants.
Residents who are aware of this activity, are terrified to visit the center after dark, knowing there is no security capable of managing vagrants and criminal activity.
Homelessness Reaching Historic Levels
The Short Term Rental market has significantly contributed to homelessness in CA. overall, creating a sharp increase in rental rates, and lack of affordable long term rentals.
The $30M Legacy Park, owned and managed by the City of Malibu, is now a dangerous criminal drug den. Public drug use may be seen during all hours of the day and night. Drug addicts have now established permanent residency in and around the park. The area is no longer safe during daylight hours, forcing LASD to waste additional resources monitoring Legacy Park, as the City is not maintaining the property in an efficient manner to discourage these types of criminal activity.
The very visible and seemingly out of control homeless issue significantly impacted the community’s quality of life as well as the local real estate market. Agents grapple with frequent trespassers on their unoccupied properties, and tents are popping up everywhere, turning our once idyllic coastal town into what is now reminiscent of a “third world country”.
A homeless tent in Legacy Park. PC: Malibu resident, Bruce SilversteinA homeless tent in Legacy Park. PC: Malibu resident, Bruce Silverstein
Helping or Hurting?
Organizations like CART and The People’s Concern have made great strides in assisting individuals who want to get back into functioning society, however, by continuing to host local lunches at the Malibu Library and Zuma Beach, they encourage vagrants to stay, without the existence of resources on site to help these individuals.
The free meals are provided at the library on Tuesdays and Fridays, with additional free meals being delivered to the encampments and on beaches such as Zuma. Many community members believe by continuing to make these lunches available, they are contributing to a growing homeless population, instead of reducing it.
Our library is now no longer safe for our local families and visitors because it has become overrun with with criminal vagrants and drug addicts leaving drug dangerous paraphernalia behind for visitors, residents, and our children to find.
Homeless setting up a BBQ and defecating on County Courthouse Property not far from the parking lot where the feedings are held.Homeless setting encampments on County courthouse Property not far from the parking lot where the feedings are held.
Local churches learned the hard way in 2017, after servicing the homeless for over 17 years. City Council asked the churches to eliminate free dinners, a much needed action, after many incidents of disturbing violent acts occurred and residents homes were broken into.
The controversial move made headlines including in this L.A. Times article, intending to manipulate readers to believe Malibu residents did not want to feed the homeless, when in reality, it was a crucial public safety move to protect residents’ from dangerous criminal vagrants that were attending these feedings.
Recently, The Local Malibu received this letter from a member of the community addressing the homeless issue:
Dear Editor,
I’d like to add some feedback to the Malibu Magazine article on homelessness, which left out some concerns. I don’t always agree with your bold approach, but I believe they said as much as they felt they could. Perhaps you may bolster a few more public concerns about this issue.
I agree with Malibu Magazine that inadequate laws are encouraging vagrancy, but I do not feel they went far enough to explain how we could fight this legally to protect our economy. Malibu homeless & advocates are wrong if they think they may utilize Boise vs Idaho, which has very specific language that still allows us to enforce our own laws to protect working taxpayers & businesses. Malibu & its leaders must fight back against vagrancy. The City has already hired private guards for the library, an area overrun with vagrants. The City, & anyone else who can afford to, should consider hiring more guards & private security companies like IPS.
With the lack of necessary support from LA County for social services, we must think of our town’s safety before serving the needs of people who bring nothing but crime, disease, and drugs. Malibu Magazine left out the fact that LA County is no longer supporting St. Joseph’s Center, which was a critical part of our City’s plan. Additionally, Malibu’s Homeless Strategic Plan was wiped from LA County’s website – nonetheless after the devastation of Woolsey Fire. The City of Malibu first launched the Homeless Strategic Plan with intent to eliminate all homeless – as many cities, they leaned on “housing first.” Now, LA County is forcing us deal with individuals who could care less about having a home. We paid into Measure H & we are getting no help from the county with vagrancy.
The nation’s fifth largest Major landowner, Stan Kroenke, has burdened us with his Wal-Mart model. Ralph’s Colony Plaza tenants waited years for retrofits such as façade & sewer upgrades. Numerous residents have witnessed Kroenke’s paid guards do nothing about vagrants who take drugs & defecate in public all day, to crash out overnight in the parking lot as well as the spaces he’s left vacant for over a decade. It is a shame to see such a large shareholder refusing to properly address the crime swamping his retail chain, our community, & public workers. Anyone can clearly see now why Ralph’s Colony Plaza is empty & everyone flocks to Whole Foods – IPS significantly increases safety by forcing vagrants out.
With all the enormous developers and retail chains coming in, we cannot forget our true character. We do not have the bandwidth to deal with urban issues. We should work to relocate the homeless lunches & eliminate any feeding within city limits. It is damaging our retail economy. Since LA County is not offering us more, the parties interested in supporting the homeless should do so on LA County property. An increase in crime causes our property values to decrease while loss prevention costs & insurance rates increase. We need to restructure the labor yard to eliminate any vagrants who are not looking for work. These are two things we can control immediately. We should look to other nearby beach towns enforcing ordinances against trespassing, abandoning personal belongings, parking overnight, & publicly feeding vagrants.
In November 2019, LA County removed St. Joseph Center, the largest homeless outreach team, instructing them to officially pull out and cease all operations in the City of Malibu. Additionally, LA County stripped our city from the Homeless Initiative website.
The time has come for citizens to demand action from our City leaders. Malibu City Council must work with business and property owners who service the community, to provide a safe environment to patronize local businesses without being in fear for our safety.
City Council must immediately request local homeless to relocate feedings to areas where social services are available to assist individuals interested in rehabilitating and re-entering society.
If these protocols are not put in place, Malibu as we knew it will never be the safe haven it once was.
The body of a Swedish-Kenyan woman found at the Malibu Lagoon on December 20th, has been identified as 31 year old Beldina Nyadwe.
Friends and family posted about Nyadwe’s death on Facebook on Christmas Eve.
The Swedish-Kenyan model/singer was featured in Swedish Elle Magazine, as well as being the face of Adidas’ “Caliroots” campaign.
Although the model/singer sent cryptic tweets via her Twitter account indicating she was potentially suicidal, there are still some troubling details surrounding her death that could indicate police could be considering foul play.
Beldina’s last tweets before her body was discovered at the Malibu Lagoon December 20th, 2019.
Beldina’s nude body was discovered just after noon on December 20th, when visitors to the lagoon noticed what appeared to be a body in the water. The visitors reported it to the lifeguards immediately, and first responders were dispatched at approximately 12:49 p.m. Malibu/Lost Hills deputies arrived on scene shortly after.
According to sources at the scene, no clothing or identification was found near Nyadwe’s body. Detectives searched the area, including a homeless encampment not far from the bridge where Nyadwe was found.
Shortly before Nyadwe’s body was discovered, concerned for her well-being, her modeling agent filed a missing persons report with LAPD. Her agent was notified when a body was found potentially matching Nyadwe’s description, and her agent was able to identify Nyadwe by her unique tattoos.
According to inside sources, blunt force trauma is the early determination in Nyadwe’s death, however, the final autopsy by the L.A. County Coroner’s office has not been released and there could be more factors contributing to Nyadwe’s demise. The autopsy is still pending.
A former Deutsche Bank executive Tom Bowers, 55, known to have been one of many executives at the bank who signed off on controversial loans to Donald Trump, committed suicide in Malibu on November 19th. Bowers was leasing a property on Point Dume at the time of his death. Sources confirm he was found hanging on a terrace on the property by one of his adult children at approximately 6:30 am.
The Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department confirmed his death is being investigated as a suicide.
Bowers who has three children, was widowed in 2017, and reportedly became engaged this summer to a longtime Malibu local he had known since childhood. According to our sources, the two broke up shortly before Bowers committed suicide.
It is also reported that Bowers was having serious personal financial issues at the time of his death.
