21-year-old man charged with murdering grandmother

A 21-year-old Murrieta man was charged today withmurdering his grandmother, who went missing last week, and another young manwas charged with being an accessory.

Kyle Roger McLean, along with Neil Michael Erickson, 18, of Wildomar,were arrested Monday in connection with the disappearance of 71-year-oldCatherine Sutton of Murrieta, now presumed dead.

McLean ,who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the SouthwestDetention Center, is charged with murder and a sentence-enhancing allegation ofcommitting a felony while on bail.

Erickson, who is being held at the same jail in lieu of $500,000 bail,is accused of being an accessory to murder.

Both were scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at the SouthwestJustice Center.

“The decision to arrest the suspects was based on our interviews withthem, the scene of the crime and evidence located at the scene,” Murrietapolice Lt. Tony Conrad told City News Service on Monday.

According to Conrad, one of Sutton’s family members contacted Murrietapolice around 10 p.m. Sunday to report her missing from her two-story house at27618 Graystone Lane.

“It was kind of a combined missing person, check-the-welfare call,”Conrad told CNS.

Officers searched the property but could not locate Sutton. Conditionsinside the home, which Conrad declined to describe, immediately led tosuspicions of foul play.

“She didn’t just wander away,” the lieutenant said.

He said detectives spoke with neighbors and spent hours processing thescene.

McLean was detained at his grandmother’s house, which is located at theend of a cul-de-sac that backs up to Interstate 215.

Both defendants were questioned for hours at the police departmentbefore the decision was made to place them under arrest, according to Conrad.

According to court records, McLean was arrested on June 24 for allegedlybeing in possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. He wasfree on bond at the time of his arrest for murder.

Sutton’s whereabouts remain a mystery. Although she is presumed dead,police posted a description of the woman in case anyone recalls seeing her overthe weekend or last week. She was described as white, about 5-foot-4 and 125pounds, with light brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information should call Murrieta police at (951) 696-3615.