Man was wanted in Tucson
By DANIEL ARCHULETA Managing Editor
PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY A homeless man wanted for first-degree murder and sexual assault in Tucson, Ariz., was taken into custody by Santa Monica Police officers late Monday night, officials said.
“It is obviously an example of good police work,” said Deputy Dawn Hanke, a public information officer with the Pima County S h e r i f f ’ s Department. “We’re happy S a n t a Monica PD helped get another bad guy off the street.”
Officers w e r e responding to a call regarding a noise disturbance in the 700 block of Seventh Street when they encountered John Vincent Nitzke, 48. Officers detained the man while they checked for warrants, discovering that he was wanted for murder and sexual assault in Arizona.
Nitzke was wanted in Pima County for the death of Dorothy Carras, 81, an elderly woman who was murdered and sexually assaulted inside her home May 23. Pima Police said Carras was suffocated. DNA collected at the scene led homicide detectives to issue a warrant for Nitzke’s arrest.
Pima County detectives flew to Santa Monica early Tuesday morning to make contact with the suspect and make arraignments for extradition to Arizona.
SMPD Sgt. Renaldi Thruston said Nitzke would be sent to Los Angeles County Jail before being extradited to Tucson where he will be arraigned for the crimes.
Carras volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and a local food pantry, where she worked as a nurse and caregiver to the sick and elderly.
She also served as a docent at a local park, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 2, 2008. Read the original PDF.