SANTA ANA, Calif. (KTLA) — Police say the remains found in the backyard of a home in Santa Ana are those of the former homeowner’s father.
Larry Dominguez, 65, was already behind bars on suspicion of homicide. But now, he’s also facing embezzlement charges.
Detectives say they believe Dominguez buried his father in the backyard in order to continue fraudulently receiving his social security benefits — totaling more than $100,000.
Prosecutors allege that Dominguez, 65, collected more than $1,100 a month between his father’s death in May 2005 and January of this year.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in prison.
Prosecutors filed the embezzlement charges as authorities continue to investigate the manner of death, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said, adding “there’s a lot of work to be done.”
The coroner will have to determine how the victim died before any charges can be filed.
The investigation began after new homeowner Philip Mendez began a landscaping project at Dominguez’s former home in the 2500 block of North Hesperian.
During the excavating, family members dug up a human skull and other bones.
Mendez, who used to live next door, bought the home from Dominguez back in 2006, after it had burned down and was rebuilt.
Prior to that, Dominguez had lived at the house for about 20 years with his father, Wallace Dominguez.
Authorities say they do not have a death certificate for the elder Dominguez and do not know how he died.
According to Mendez, before he moved in, Dominguez told him that bones were buried in the backyard.
“First he said it was a dog, and then later he said there were puppies that his sister wanted,” Mendez told KTLA.
“He had to check with his sister, see if she still wanted to keep them. Cause he wanted to come get them.”
A police anthropologist was brought in on Monday to remove the bones. A cadaver dog was also brought in to search the rest of the yard.
Meantime, former neighbors describe Dominguez as a packrat who always seemed a little strange.
“He was said to be pretty weird,” one man told KTLA. “Just strange… Like when his house burned down he was found naked in the kitchen.”
Another neighbor said he has known Dominguez for years. He said different people would go in and out of the home, but he never thought much of it.
“We talked about once a month,” he said. “He’s very articulate, he’s a very gentle soul that I know of. I’ve never seen any anger that he expressed.”
62 Comments to “Backyard Bones: Man Accused of Stealing Dead Dad’s Benefits”
January 27, 2013 at 10:49 PM
Very Interesting
January 29, 2013 at 5:14 PM
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January 30, 2013 at 1:38 AM
Very uninteresting.
January 28, 2013 at 1:59 AM
We've heard of renovation nightmares, but this is a step above.
January 28, 2013 at 4:10 AM
Spooky, it could be one of us. How can i possibly know that my new home isn't a crime scene?
January 28, 2013 at 6:14 AM
Poltergeist II, the house was built on a Graveyard.
January 28, 2013 at 6:39 AM
That was my first thought! If that house gets sucked away in a vortex we will have confirmation.
January 28, 2013 at 6:41 AM
The coroner will actually determine if a crime occurred. The bones could be from an Indian burial…lets not jump to conclusions.
January 28, 2013 at 7:13 AM
What fun is that? Get Temperance Brennan out there, she could tell immediately if the bones were ancient or modern.
January 28, 2013 at 3:41 PM
Indian burial!!! Really!!! They had much more respect for their loved ones!!!! They would value life not throw it away like someone did with this individual!!! Wow!
January 29, 2013 at 7:32 AM
If it was an Indian burial then how did this creep know they were there, and tell the new owner?
January 28, 2013 at 8:03 AM
Make a movie or use as a tele show for sure. Yeah, get Temperance Brennan out there; she would be able to determine how the person died.
January 28, 2013 at 9:12 AM
if that pack rat has a beard and some missing teeth… then he's probably a serial killer.
January 28, 2013 at 11:02 AM
as Linda implied I am in shock that a person able to profit $5131 in four weeks on the computer. did you look at this webpage http://xurl.es/6vycz
January 29, 2013 at 6:25 AM
This murderer looks like he can bury that spam machine of yours real deep. I'll send him your link in jail.
January 28, 2013 at 1:53 PM
A Mexican…it figures.
January 28, 2013 at 2:04 PM
Well, who else did you expect…this is the United States of Mexico!
January 28, 2013 at 2:46 PM
and dont you forget it you trixs
January 28, 2013 at 2:15 PM
98% of Serial Killers are White – Ignorant Racist!
January 28, 2013 at 2:47 PM
specifically Anglo-Saxon…also I know Mexicans with the last name Romney…. not all Dominguez are from Mexico.
January 28, 2013 at 3:19 PM
Wrong, Disgusted. You are being a racist. According to FBI data bases, there is no specific racial type for serial killers. The same percentage of serial killers occurs in every race. The reason there are more white serial killers here, is the number of white people in the population is higher. Please stop white bashing, your bigotry is truly "Disgusting"!
January 28, 2013 at 2:57 PM
Call the Long Island medium
January 30, 2013 at 11:19 AM
I will call for a Long Island Ice Tea, thank you
January 28, 2013 at 3:07 PM
98% of Serial Killers are White – Ignorant Racist!
IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE LONG HAIR AND MUSTACHE IT LOOKS LIKE ROMNEY!!
January 28, 2013 at 6:38 PM
EF you Julie – O!
January 29, 2013 at 7:35 AM
Hippy-ish kitten-ish Mittens….EWWW!!!
January 29, 2013 at 4:44 PM
Don't take away anything, and he looks like your mom.
January 28, 2013 at 3:19 PM
A little strange, that guy looks real strange.
January 28, 2013 at 3:27 PM
its a family guy episode come to real life
January 28, 2013 at 3:29 PM
This is such an early stage of the investigation that you cannot be sure of much more than human bones were found, and the former home owner's first name is Larry. Other than very basic facts, you will most likely be,at the very least, inaccurate if you wereto suggest anything more.That includes the ethnicity of the former homeowner.
January 28, 2013 at 3:41 PM
i figured it would be a f*****g mexican!…….is there any of the males that aren't common criminals?
January 28, 2013 at 4:17 PM
WOW how racist! First of his probably born in the United States so that would make American.
January 29, 2013 at 7:53 AM
oh sweetie you're so predictable! Now crawl back under your bridge like a good troll.
January 28, 2013 at 3:51 PM
so are the females
January 28, 2013 at 3:52 PM
females are just as dirty as the males
January 28, 2013 at 4:40 PM
The dude just looks like a whack job
January 29, 2013 at 4:32 PM
Albert Einstien looked like a whack job.
January 28, 2013 at 5:09 PM
…cannot tell if he's toothless but he sure looks creepy!
January 28, 2013 at 5:12 PM
Yep, just like you suspected also…."Dominguez as a packrat" who always seemed a little strange.
These types are fairly easy to detect..the kind to steer clear of!
January 28, 2013 at 5:43 PM
what Peter implied I am stunned that a stay at home mom able to profit $8524 in 4 weeks on the computer. have you seen this site link http://xurl.es/gwqu1
January 28, 2013 at 6:29 PM
I have know this man. I believe he is innocent.
January 29, 2013 at 6:27 AM
You believe? Well that's good enough for us, let him go then. o_0
January 29, 2013 at 4:39 PM
I hope you don't look creepy like him.
January 28, 2013 at 10:50 PM
I'd be afraid to dig around too much in my own yard for fear of disturbing Nat Am burials. My husband was working an archaeological digsite in the 70's & knows of someone who found one while digging for a foundation for his house. He contacted the group my husband was working with as they were also working on a paleo campsite near the area. His house project was put on hold (and rightly so) until it was confirmed to be a burial site and the remains were relocated by the area tribe. They also did an appeasing/cleansing ceremony for the landowner to the spirit so it would not be angry & hang around his property. Planted a fruit tree for it I think.
January 29, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Its always the nicest guy thats the serial killer!
January 29, 2013 at 11:52 AM
what Peter implied I am stunned that a stay at home mom able to profit $8524 in 4 weeks on the computer. have you seen this site link http://xurl.es/as0b6
January 29, 2013 at 2:07 PM
wow, majorly striz-zange..its funny how these creepy murderer types are always
so calm and gentle….
January 29, 2013 at 4:37 PM
What a guy, buries his dead father in the back yard and keeps collecting his fathers Social Security money.
January 29, 2013 at 9:50 PM
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January 29, 2013 at 10:37 PM
Wish they would get the rest of the scammers ripping off the system theres alot more out there.
January 30, 2013 at 1:08 AM
racist people like ktla
January 30, 2013 at 1:09 AM
immigration reform is inevitable my fellow americans…
January 30, 2013 at 1:11 AM
Obama has spoken… getting my greencard soon yeahhhh
January 30, 2013 at 1:12 AM
viva Obama, viva la raza… US is the land of the free… oh yes indeed
January 30, 2013 at 1:40 AM
Land of the free welfare checks for you huh?
February 1, 2013 at 12:30 AM
are you a tax payer? if so well… thank you, otherwise you can mail me a personal check or money order… if neither then Im sure I will see you in front of the welfare check line soon… ahi te watcho homie.
January 30, 2013 at 8:12 AM
I'm an idiot, and I'm white
January 30, 2013 at 8:38 AM
If you think Bradley`s story is surprising…, last pay-cheque my boyfriend basically also recieved a check for $5680 just sitting there eleven hours a week from home and there co-worker's sister-in-law`s neighbour done this for seven months and brought in over $5680 in there spare time from there mac. apply the instructions on this site… http://xurl.es/1kdpx
January 30, 2013 at 12:56 PM
why are they always picking on the Mexican, this was racist. He is just trying to live.
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February 22, 2013 at 8:07 PM
You may have opened my eyes right now on this regards