MURRIETA: 22-year-old man arrested for repeatedly stabbing, beating father to death

MURRIETA — A 22-year-old Murrieta resident was arrested after officials responded to a private residence and found an elderly man who had been beaten and stabbed to death, Saturday afternoon, June 9. Officials have not released any known or suspected motive for the deadly attack that happened on the 39000 block of Sunrose Drive, in a residential neighborhood north of Los Alamos Road and Hancock Avenue, in Murrieta.

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During their initial investigation, Murrieta police officials identified Nicolas Gayelyrd Hunt-Tanner, 22, of Murrieta, as the person responsible for murdering his father, later identified by coroner’s officials as 66-year-old, Gayelyrd Tanner, of Murrieta.

A coroner’s release indicated the victim was pronounced deceased at 3:12 p.m., about 22 minutes after the incident happened.

City of Murrieta Police and Fire Departments responded to the home just before 3 p.m., after receiving a 911 call regarding a “medical aid call” at the residence, Murrieta Police Lt. Tony Conrad explained after the incident and arrest.

When officials arrived they located the elder Tanner “with significant injuries consistent with blunt force trauma and stab wounds,” said Conrad. The victim succumbed to his numerous injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.

During their subsequent investigation, officials located and recovered the weapons involved in the murder and ultimately arrested the victim’s 22-year-old son.

Jail records indicate the younger Tanner was arrested at 3:15 p.m., and was booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center in Banning on suspicion of murder, more than nine hours later.

The alleged suspect remains in custody held on $1 million bail, and is scheduled to be arraigned at Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, June 13.

Murrieta PD’s investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact Murrieta Police Detective Miguel Garcia at (951) 461-6362. Callers can refer to incident file number 1806M-1920 and can remain anonymous.

 

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Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.