Another twenty-seven people died “without fixed abode” in Orange County in March. Their names are:
Lara FLECK who died on March 2nd in Stanton
Ely VIALL who died on March 3rd in Lake Forest
Zara RAPHOON who died on March 6th in Costa Mesa
Margaret SWATKOWSKI who died on March 7th in Fullerton
Kendrah NIX who died on March 7th in Tustin
Steven NONENMACHER who died on March 8th in Buena Park
Jose CASTRO who died on March 9th in Orange
Edgar LAMAS who died on March 9th in Garden Grove
Rosemary MARTINEZ who died on March 10th in Santa Ana
Melvin GONZALEZ who died on March 11th in Santa Ana
Robert JOHNSON who died on March 12th in Brea
Michael KENT who died on March 12th in Westminster
Jaime SAENZ JR. who died on March 12th in Santa Ana
Ashton SOMMERS who died on March 13th in Garden Grove
Martin COLES who died on March 13th in Santa Ana
Basiliso JULIO who died on March 13th in Anaheim
Franklin LONGFORD who died on March 13th in Costa Mesa
Ernie FERNANDEZ who died on March 15th in Anaheim
Jaime LUZANILLA who died on March 15th in Orange
Chrystal SCARRAH who died on March 16th in Irvine
Lindsey WHITTAKER who died on March 17th in Brea
Carlton RIGGINS who died on March 17th in Irvine
Larry PLANK who died on March 21st in Fullerton
John MILLER who died on March 22nd in San Clemente
George RAMIREZ who died on March 23rd in Fullerton
Mathew MOSHAM who died on March 28th in Newport Beach
Melody YEAGER who died on March 30th in Orange
Additionally, one person who died earlier but whose information was made available only in this past month. His name is:
Alfonso AYALA who died on February 27th in Fountain Valley
For the year so far, 75 people have been reported as having died “without fixed abode” so far this year, the lowest since 2020 when 66 had died by this point in the year, and only half the number of people who had died by this time in 2023, that had been the worst year on record.
So as I have noted before, a “new normal” appears to be being established, though we still do not officially know what the predominant causes of death are, so that we can work to lower the death toll even further.
From 2023-2025, Orange County’s Coroner’s Office led a Commission empaneled by the OC Sheriff’s Department to study the causes of homeless deaths on our streets. Their three reports are available here.
However, these three reports were for years when the homeless death rate had been increasing. In recent years it has decreased and it would be useful to all to see where the improvements have been made. Things appear to be getting better, but we need to see clearly what work still remains.
Fr. Dennis Kriz, OSM, Pastor St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church, Fullerton.
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