5:30 Update – A local newsstation has identified the victims as Oliver “Chip” Northrup, 88, and 76-year-old Claudia Maupin. Mr. Northrup was a prominent defense attorney. The couple were founding members of the Davis Unitarian Church.
Mayor Joe Krovoza has released a statement, “It’s with great sadness that the City Council and I have received news of the deaths of Claudia Maupin and Chip Northup. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, fellow congregants at the Davis Unitarian Universalist Church, and the many groups in Davis they touched. While Davis achieves a high degree of safety through our police and the watchful eyes of all, we are not imune from terrible acts. Let us all redouble our efforts to protect our fellow citizens and give support to those who have suffered this irreversible loss. Our Council is staying well-informed on the quick and comprehensive response of our police, and our Police Department’s efforts will not cease until the case is brought to closure.”
The following is updated information as of 4:30 pm – On April 14, 2013, at approximately 9:20 pm, the Davis Police Department responded to the 4000 block of Cowell Blvd. for a welfare check.
While conducting the check of the residence, officers discovered two deceased adults inside. During the course of the investigation, officers discovered signs of forced entry to the house.
It was clear both victims suffered stab wounds, but the official cause of death is yet to be determined by the Yolo County Coroner.
The victims’ identities have not yet been released by the Yolo County Coroner’s Office. At this time we believe the deceased victims to be an elderly couple (male and female) in the mid-70s to late-80s age range.
The Davis Police Department is currently investigating the two deaths as homicides. Investigators from the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, Yolo County Coroner’s Office, West Sacramento Police Department, California Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations are assisting in this case.
“Homicides are a rarity in Davis. We understand the violent nature of this crime is a shock to our community. We will be fielding extra patrol officers as a preventative measure. At this point, a motive has not been established,” the release said.
Previous Report: Davis Police reported early this morning that, when doing a welfare check at 4006 Cowell Blvd. in Davis on Sunday evening at 9:21 pm, officers discovered two deceased adults inside. During the course of the investigation, officers discovered signs of forced entry to the residence.
The Davis Police Department is currently investigating the two deaths as homicides. At this point in time, a motive has not been established.
“I can tell you it’s two adults,” Lt. Doroshov told the Vanguard, “I can’t release a whole lot about the victim because we’re still waiting on the coroner to do their thing and they’ve got to the notify the relatives and all of that.”
Lt. Doroshov said they do not yet know the exact time that the murder occurred.
“I can tell you at 9:21 pm, our officers got a welfare request to do a check at that address,” he continued. “For whatever reason at some point they decided they were going to make entry because they were concerned. When they did make entry they saw two adults deceased with extensive trauma.”
Police said it was a very bloody scene and, again, there were signs of forced entry into the home.
At this point there is no suspect. “We’re pretty wide open on our options as to what could have happened.”
The last murder in Davis was the murder of 42-year-old Kevin Seery which happened in the College Square Apartments on J Street on October 1, 2011.
Mr. Mings is on trial for that murder and the case is expected to resume in July after some delays.
That victim was reportedly suffering from a number of ailments which included diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, chronic hepatitis and pneumonia at the time of his death. He stood at 6-1 but weighed just 133 pounds.
Mr. Mings confessed to the killing, turning himself in and claiming that Mr. Seery had asked him to kill him.
Mr. Mings put Mr. Seery in a choke hold and then stuffed a variety of items into his throat, preventing Mr. Seery from breathing.
The coroner has now left today’s scene in Davis, and Lt. Doroshov expects there to be updates as new information can be released.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
I recognized the house in the photo from the speed sign (that sets off my radar detector every time I drive by) as the place directly across the street from the Edge Apartments (that used to be called Alder Ridge Apartments).
Less than 10 years ago a guy was shot (and killed) at the Clearwater Apartments (that used to be called Tennis Club Apartments) just next door that is in front of Davis Swim & Fitness (that used to be called Davis Racquet and Swim Club before they built condos on the tennis courts).
One difference between the Davis of today and the Davis of the late-1970s: there is a lot less violent crime today. So a double-homicide like this one you are reporting on is fortunately very unusual, and hopefully stays unusual.
By contrast, in 1977, Davis had 5 murders. If I recall correctly, one of those was a double-homicide. A few years later–a couple months before the Riggins-Gonsalves rape/killings–there was a double-homicide at the Castillian Apartments on Wake Forest Drive. I remember hearing the shots, but had no idea where they were coming from. It was a love-triangle situation (ex-boyfriend killing his ex-girlfriend and her new beau).
Probably the worst year in Davis history for violent crime was 1978. Murders were down, but there were a number of home-invasion rapists on the loose, the most infamous being the East Area Rapist*, who attacked 3 women in Davis, one in Village Homes. In all, there were 25 distinct reports of home-invasion rapes that year. … Another 3 of them were committed by a man who was dubbed “the blanket rapist.” As far as I know, he was never caught. I suggested to the DPD 5 years ago that they should go take a second look at the physical evidence in that case and run a DNA databank check. But, of course, they didn’t do anything.
———-
*Wikipedia has an entry on this guy ([url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_Night_Stalker[/url]), who was known as The Original Night Stalker in So. Cal.
Channel 40 identified the victims ([url]http://fox40.com/2013/04/15/victim-in-davis-homicide-was-a-musician/[/url]): [quote] [b]Oliver “Chip” Northrup, 88, and 76-year-old Claudia Maupin[/b] were found dead Monday morning inside a home on Cowell Boulevard. Officers initially went to the house to do a welfare check, as the two had not been seen or heard from all day.
Northrup played guitar in a group called the Putah Creek Crawdads. They performed Saturday at the Davis Farmers Market. Northrup was also a retired attorney, dealing with court of appeals-level cases.
Friends describe Northrup and Maupin as “the warmest, kindest, caring folks you could ask for.” They lived in the home for eight years. Investigators say the home where Northrup and Maulpin were found showed signs of forced entry.[/quote] Another musician in the Putah Creek Crawdads is Cap Thomson, husband of former Supervisor, former Assemblywoman Helen Thomson.
That’s great. I’ve known these names all day, but I was trying to do the right thing and wait until they were officially released. And the news just does it.
Oliver Northrup was a prominent defense attorney, he defended some capital cases.
Statement from Krovoza:
[quote]It’s with great of sadness that the City Council and I have received new of the deaths of Claudia Maupin and Chip Northup. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, fellow congregants at the Davis Unitarian Universalist Church, and the many groups in Davis they touched. While Davis achieves a high degree of safety through our police and the watchful eyes of all, we are not imune from terrible acts. Let us all redouble our efforts to protect our fellow citizens and give support to those who have suffered this irreversible loss. Our Council is staying well-informed on the quick and comprehensive response of our police, and our Police Department’s efforts will not cease until the case is brought to closure.[/quote]
Hoping that the media and community use care and consideration in this sensitive case rather than sensationalize the tragedy. Perhaps the upcoming vigil can remain media free, allowing friends and family to grieve and heal without cameras in their midst. Standing on the Side of Love. KK