Woman and her dog fatally stabbed in San Dimas park
A man fatally stabbed a Glendora woman and her dog at Lone Hill Park in San Dimas on Thursday afternoon, then was knocked unconscious by another man who initially had fled from the knife-wielding suspect, authorities said.
On Friday, the victim was identified by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office as Jeanne Ann Edgar, 66.
Deputies arrested Ricardo Saldivar, 23, of Upland on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, sheriff’s Lt. Derrick Alfred said.
Deputies found the weapon, a folding knife with a 4- to 5-inch blade, at the scene, said Alfred, who didn’t yet know the motive behind the attacks.
“This was in broad daylight, witnessed by a lot of people,” Alfred said. “It appears to be completely random.”
He said a lot of people tried to help Edgar and her dog after the stabbing.
Deputies received reports of the stabbing as it was happening on the 1400 block of Renwick Road at 1:35 p.m., Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said. Officers found Edgar and the dog, also wounded. Both died at the scene.
The suspect first approached a man who had parked his truck and was walking through the park toward the restroom, according to Deputy Shawn Du Busky. The man saw the knife-wielding suspect walking toward him and ran.
Edgar saw the chase and screamed. Then the suspect turned his attention to her.
Saldivar snatched the dog’s leash from its owner’s hand and yanked the animal away, Du Busky said.
“He took the dog and started stabbing the dog,” Alfred said, adding that the woman tried to get her dog from the suspect. “She was trying to save her dog.”
The suspect then attacked the woman.
The man initially approached by the assailant returned and struck the suspect in the head with a rock, knocking him unconscious, deputies said, adding that Saldivar was treated at a hospital for a head injury, then released for booking.
It is unclear why the Upland resident was in San Dimas, Alfred said.
He had parked a car at the park that authorities impounded and would search. Saldivar remained in custody Friday at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles in lieu of $2 million bail.
Court records in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties don’t show any prior convictions for Saldivar. Upland police said Saldi
var has no history of criminal contacts with their department.
San Dimas City Manager Chris Constantin issued a statement about the crime on Friday.
“On Thursday, the City of San Dimas was rocked by a vicious and reprehensible act which has changed the lives of many people and brought a tragic stain on this beautiful city. Our hearts go out to the family of the victim and the residents of the Lone Hill Park area,” it read.
There has been much speculation as to the motive, cause, and what would be the appropriate response to the crime, city officials said.
“The city has been working internally on approaches to address resident concerns regarding activities in the West Arrow Highway and North Valley Center Avenue corridor. The LASD (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department) has brought in additional law enforcement resources to substantially increase presence in several parks and the nearby Stater Bros. center,” the statement said.