The Suspect Attempted to Make the Resident Vacate the Property
A Santa Monica resident and landlord was arrested after a suspected New Year’s Day killing of one of his tenants.
On Jan. 1, deputies from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office and San Bernardino County Fire arrived at the 55800 block of Montara Road in response to a medical aid request. Once there, they found 54-year-old William Durst and an unresponsive Jeffrey Cull, a 71-year-old man who lived at the property, who was later pronounced dead.
Durst, who owned the property, was arrested and booked for murder at the Morongo Basin jail.
A homicide investigation found Durst arrived in an attempt to force Cull to vacate the property. An argument ensued after Cull refused to leave, resulting in Durst spraying the resident with bear spray and placing him in a chokehold. Cull succumbed and lost consciousness.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Shawn Thurman, Specialized Investigations Division at (909) 890-4904. Callers can remain anonymous and contact We-Tip at 800-78CRIME or www.wetip.com.
