Car theft plan led to Hayward slayings, police say
By Eric Kurhi
The Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/04/2010 01:30:12 PM PST
Updated: 02/04/2010 07:56:18 PM PST
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Feb 3:
Victims in Hayward killings were stabbed to death
Feb 2:
Two men slain at Hayward car auction lot
HAYWARD — Police believe Karl George Sanft, 34, went to the 70-acre auto auction lot in industrial Hayward early Tuesday morning with the intention of stealing a car.
When he left, two men were dead, each stabbed numerous times at a crime scene that police called "horrific and disturbing." And Sanft was still in a vehicle, stolen from the lot and parked "out of place" in a Sunnyvale neighborhood, when officers in that city arrested him.
He was transported to Hayward on Wednesday night, said Lt. Darryl McAllister, after it was determined that the car was from the lot.
After 31/2 hours of interrogation, Sanft, from Union City, told investigators that he was responsible for the deaths of Angelito Erasquin, 63, and James Wightman, 53, at the Manheim San Francisco Bay Auto Auction, McAllister said.
"This is a very brutal crime that really impacted the families, of course, and also the Hayward community at large, and the investigators working the case," McAllister said. "A lot of work and an enormous amount of energy was spent to bring the unexplainable circumstances behind this to some kind of conclusion."
According to police, Sanft was in a sedan borrowed from a friend when he rammed the front gate of the auction lot to gain entrance. It is believed that Erasquin — a Hayward resident who worked at the lot as a uniformed security guard — intervened and was stabbed with a large fixed-blade knife.
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killer then may have seen Wightman, who was across the lot, possibly in the cab of the transport truck he had driven down from his hometown of Central Point, Ore., McAllister said.
"(Wightman) most likely witnessed some or all of what was going on, and was then targeted," he said.
Wightman was stabbed to death in the cab of his truck. A window was broken, and the truck engine was running when police arrived at the scene, but McAllister said they have not determined whether the trucker
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was trying to flee when he was attacked or whether the truck was moved during the stabbing.
Police say Sanft, who is 6-foot-3 and more than 300 pounds, then fled in a car from the lot. They believe he acted alone.
Sanft, who has a prior criminal record, is scheduled to be arraigned today.
Family members were mourning the loss of both men Thursday, and said they hope to see justice served.
"It's a tragedy and I hope the idiot who did all this, I hope there's some justice," said Wightman's sister, Susan Banta, of Salinas. "It seems people don't get what they deserve these days — but I hope they do this time."
^^^^ wow.... this was one of my brothers friends in high school... crazy shit
::
By Eric Kurhi
The Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/04/2010 01:30:12 PM PST
Updated: 02/04/2010 07:56:18 PM PST
Guest book
Share condolences for Angelito Erasquin
Related
Feb 3:
Victims in Hayward killings were stabbed to death
Feb 2:
Two men slain at Hayward car auction lot
HAYWARD — Police believe Karl George Sanft, 34, went to the 70-acre auto auction lot in industrial Hayward early Tuesday morning with the intention of stealing a car.
When he left, two men were dead, each stabbed numerous times at a crime scene that police called "horrific and disturbing." And Sanft was still in a vehicle, stolen from the lot and parked "out of place" in a Sunnyvale neighborhood, when officers in that city arrested him.
He was transported to Hayward on Wednesday night, said Lt. Darryl McAllister, after it was determined that the car was from the lot.
After 31/2 hours of interrogation, Sanft, from Union City, told investigators that he was responsible for the deaths of Angelito Erasquin, 63, and James Wightman, 53, at the Manheim San Francisco Bay Auto Auction, McAllister said.
"This is a very brutal crime that really impacted the families, of course, and also the Hayward community at large, and the investigators working the case," McAllister said. "A lot of work and an enormous amount of energy was spent to bring the unexplainable circumstances behind this to some kind of conclusion."
According to police, Sanft was in a sedan borrowed from a friend when he rammed the front gate of the auction lot to gain entrance. It is believed that Erasquin — a Hayward resident who worked at the lot as a uniformed security guard — intervened and was stabbed with a large fixed-blade knife.
The
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killer then may have seen Wightman, who was across the lot, possibly in the cab of the transport truck he had driven down from his hometown of Central Point, Ore., McAllister said.
"(Wightman) most likely witnessed some or all of what was going on, and was then targeted," he said.
Wightman was stabbed to death in the cab of his truck. A window was broken, and the truck engine was running when police arrived at the scene, but McAllister said they have not determined whether the trucker
Guest book
Share condolences for James Wightman
was trying to flee when he was attacked or whether the truck was moved during the stabbing.
Police say Sanft, who is 6-foot-3 and more than 300 pounds, then fled in a car from the lot. They believe he acted alone.
Sanft, who has a prior criminal record, is scheduled to be arraigned today.
Family members were mourning the loss of both men Thursday, and said they hope to see justice served.
"It's a tragedy and I hope the idiot who did all this, I hope there's some justice," said Wightman's sister, Susan Banta, of Salinas. "It seems people don't get what they deserve these days — but I hope they do this time."
^^^^ wow.... this was one of my brothers friends in high school... crazy shit
::
