VISTA (CNS) - A man pleaded guilty Thursday to voluntary manslaughter for fatally stabbing a 77-year-old retiree at the victim's Oceanside beach house.
Carey Lamont Reid Jr., 24, is set to be sentenced to 12 years in state prison for the Aug. 14, 2018, slaying of John Roth, who was stabbed in the neck while lying on his couch.
Roth's body was discovered by his wife around 7 a.m. after she returned home from work, according to Deputy District Attorney Keith Watanabe.
Blood trailed from the couch and up the stairs to the master bedroom, where prosecutors believe Reid pilfered several items from the home. Jewelry, a laptop, Roth's cell phone, and his wife's purse were among the items reported missing from the residence, authorities said.
Prosecutors say Reid's DNA was recovered from a crushed, discarded can of ginger ale found in Roth's toilet. Reid, a local transient, was arrested a few months later in a parking lot located directly behind the victim's residence.
Reid went on trial last month on charges of murder, burglary, and a special circumstance allegation of murder during a residential burglary, but a Vista jury deadlocked 6-6 on the murder count.
