Itzcoatl Misael Ocampo: The Orange County Homeless Murders
Background
Itzcoatl Misael Ocampo was a former United States Marine who was accused of killing six people in Orange County, California, during a series of stabbing attacks between October 2011 and January 2012. Four of the victims were homeless men who were attacked in public places or outdoor areas where they slept. The other two victims were the mother and older brother of one of Ocampo's former high school classmates.
Ocampo was born in Mexico City on March 20, 1988, and moved to Southern California with his family while he was still young. He attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim and later enlisted in the Marine Corps. He served for approximately four years and was deployed to Iraq in 2008. He was honorably discharged in 2010 and returned to Orange County.
Relatives and acquaintances later described significant changes in Ocampo's behavior following his military service. They said he became increasingly isolated, troubled and suspicious. Reports surrounding the case described his struggles with depression, alcohol abuse, paranoia and possible post-traumatic stress. These issues were discussed extensively after his arrest, but they did not excuse or legally resolve the six murder charges filed against him.
The First Two Killings
The first two killings attributed to Ocampo occurred on October 25, 2011, inside a residence in Yorba Linda. The victims were 53-year-old Raquel Estrada and her 34-year-old son, Juan Herrera. Ocampo knew the family through Estrada's younger son, Eder Herrera, who had attended high school with him.
Estrada and Juan Herrera were repeatedly stabbed inside their home. Investigators initially focused on Eder Herrera, in part because of reported family disagreements and because witnesses had seen a man leaving the area who generally resembled him. Eder was arrested and questioned but denied killing his mother and brother. As investigators continued gathering evidence, the case remained unresolved for several months.
After Ocampo was arrested in connection with the homeless killings, detectives examined possible links between him and the Yorba Linda double homicide. Prosecutors eventually charged Ocampo with murdering Estrada and Herrera. Authorities alleged that Ocampo had intentionally selected the family because of his prior connection to Eder.
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