A man suspected of fatally shooting a man at an Anaheim motel and kidnapping a 23-year-old woman last week was shot and wounded early Thursday by police in Old Town San Diego after his victim escaped, authorities said.
Anaheim police detectives Wednesday night were told by the father of the kidnapped woman, Brianne Deese, that she had called him from San Diego and said she escaped her captor.
The suspect, identified by police as Luke Theodore Lampers, a 35-year- old transient, was wanted in the Jan. 11 fatal shooting of 49-year-old Douglas Navarro at the Crystal Inn in Anaheim.
“Detectives and investigators responded immediately and located the victim,” Anaheim police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said. “The continuing investigation led them to a motel in the 4000 block of Taylor (Street) in San Diego where Lampers was believed to be.”
San Diego police responded to assist as Lampers was seen arriving at the motel in a vehicle, Wyatt said.
“Investigators from the APD Crime Task Force attempted to contact Lampers and a brief foot pursuit ensued at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred,” Wyatt said.
Police did not say what prompted the shooting, which happened about five minutes after midnight. Lampers was struck by the gunfire and taken to a San Diego area hospital.
“He is expected to survive,” Wyatt said of the suspect’s injuries.
A gun was found near where Lampers was taken into custody and investigators suspect it was the defendant’s, Wyatt said.
Police arrested Lampers on a warrant charging him with first-degree murder, which was filed Wednesday, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Eric Scarbrough.
Lampers also faces a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a gun, making him at least eligible to face up to 50 years to life in prison if convicted at trial.
Lampers may face further charges related to the kidnapping accusations at a later date.
San Diego police will investigate the officer-involved shooting, Wyatt said.
Deese’s family made public pleas to Lampers last week, asking him to turn himself in and let Deese go.
Lampers is suspected of gunning down Navarro on Jan. 11 in the motel at 2123 W. Lincoln Ave., where he was living and where his mother also lived and worked as a maid and in maintenance.
Deese was staying with someone at the motel and apparently left with Lampers and returned sometime later, Wyatt said. She was trying to get into a room where she was staying to retrieve some personal belongings when Navarro intervened to say she wasn’t registered at the motel as a guest in that room, Wyatt said.
Lampers apparently saw an animated discussion between the two and allegedly shot Navarro, Wyatt said.
Then Lampers — at gunpoint — told Deese to leave with him, Wyatt said.
The “exhaustive” search for Deese ended Wednesday as police were able to safely recover her, Wyatt said.
—City News Service