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Neighbors were wary of La Quinta murder suspect

Published September 15, 2018 12:24 AM

In a quiet La Quinta neighborhood, the typical morning quiet was shattered Thursday by screaming.

A woman was running down the street, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, and within minutes, law enforcement had swarmed the scene.

Neighbors who witnessed the scary scene unfold yesterday are settling back to normal now sharing concerns about the bizarre man who lived next door.

“I called him crazy man to my family because he was very strange,” said Angie Dominguez, a neighbor and witness. “Since I lived here I was concerned. He’s not the kind of person where you say ‘Hi, good morning.'”

The suspected shooter, Stacy Rowan, 56, a man who neighbors say made nearby residents uncomfortable.

“She actually put up blinds up on the back side of the house because she was concerned, you know he would look at her through the windows,” Dominguez said.

After the initial incident, officials told neighbors they had reason to believe bombs were inside Rowan’s home, posing a danger to residents.

“They came knocking on the door telling us to evacuate because they weren’t sure what was in the house,” Diane Chavez, a resident of the neighborhood.

The scene is now cleared, crews boarding up the home. Signs of smoke visible from the streets. Dried blood still lines the driveways.

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“She had blood on her car, which we couldn’t touch,” Chavez recalled. “And blood in her driveway but it was a trail you could definitely see the trail.”

Witnesses said they saw a woman running down the street, screaming, suffering from injuries. A neighbor protected the woman until officers arrived.

Residents told KESQ & CBS Local 2 the activity is nothing like they’ve ever seen before.

“The top of the cove is pretty peaceful, nothing like this has ever happened,” Chavez said.

We are still working to confirm the identity of the victim as they are waiting to notify next of kin. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Friday night that it was a 72-year-old male.

This isn’t the first time Rowan has caused disturbances. Police was called to the area for a domestic dispute and weapons arrest earlier this year.