[UPDATED with I.D., Suspect Description:] James MacGillivray, OC Homicide No. 65: Transient Found Stabbed to Death

​UPDATE, DEC. 22, 4:46 P.M.: Placentia Police identified the homeless man found stabbed to death as 53-year-old James MacGillivray, who beat officers knew slept in a camp at the north end of a strip shopping center where his body was found Wednesday morning.

Thanks to surveillance cameras, cops also have a description of the killer: an 18 to 25-year-old man with a thin build, standing 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-9 and dressed all in black.



The knifeman is seen on the tape waiting for MacGillivray to show up before stabbing him several times around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday. The transient's body was discovered close to 8:30 the next morning.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Placentia Police Det. Bryce Angel at 714.993.8164 or leave an anonymous tip at 855.TIP.OCCS or occrimestoppers.org.

ORIGINAL POST, DEC. 22, 10:22 A.M.: Patrons discovered a holiday-dampening sight in the parking lot of a retail center in the 100 block of North Bradford Avenue near Chapman Avenue in Placentia Wednesday morning: the body of a man who had been stabbed to death.

The 53-year-old transient, who was pronounced dead at the scene, had been stabbed multiple times, according to the Placentia Police Department.

The man's name has not yet been released, and homicide detectives are searching for a suspect. If you saw anything that can help them, call 714.993.8164.


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