Thomas Caldwell|Coroner’s probe reveals Los Angeles maintenance man was Washington rape suspect believed long dead

2025-05-07 20:15:15source:Novacryptcategory:Scams

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A coroner’s investigation into the death of a man in Los Angeles last month revealed that he was a suspect in a 2008 Washington state child rape who was believed to have Thomas Caldwelljumped to his death from a bridge on Puget Sound years ago, authorities said.

Christian Robert Basham was living under the alias Mark Clemens when he died Feb. 26 at age 56, police in Bremerton, Washington, said in a press release Thursday.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office discovered his true identity and informed the Bremerton Police Department on March 13.

Basham was arrested in 2008, charged with second-degree child rape and released on $350,000 bail, police said.

On March 29, 2009, a witness reported seeing Basham jump from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, police said. Searches using boats and an airplane failed to locate a body but his car and a suicide note were later found.

In Los Angeles, Basham was known as Clemens, a longtime maintenance man at a downtown apartment building where he lived.

His next-door neighbor, Tommy Cuellar, told KABC-TV that Clemens was already the building’s handyman when Cuellar moved in about a decade ago.

READ MORE Isaac Jones scores 16 points as No. 22 Washington State beats Stanford 79-62Biden and Trump secure nominations, setting the stage for a grueling general election rematchThe Democratic protest vote movement over the Israel-Hamas war spreads from Michigan to other states

“Very shocking,” Cuellar said of the news about his neighbor’s real identity. “This was our maintenance guy. This was the guy who had keys to our apartments. It was troubling to say the least, as you could imagine.”

Cuellar told the station their interactions were always positive.

“He was just like a normal person, a little rough sometimes but it was his personality,” Cuellar said. “No other clue that he was this person he was accused of being.”

The medical examiner’s online case information available Friday listed the cause of Basham’s death as “deferred,” meaning it requires additional investigation.

“Though the criminal case against Basham will be closed Bremerton detectives will be doing follow-up regarding Basham’s movement and actions since his supposed death in 2009,” the police statement said.

More:Scams

Recommend

Why did Bill Belichick go to North Carolina? New UNC coach explains jump to college

Bill Belichick has officially made the shocking move to college football by becoming the North Carol

Ohio State football's assistant coach salary pool reaches eight figures for first time

The salary pool for the Ohio State football assistant coaches has hit another high.According to cont

JoJo Siwa Addresses Claim She “Stole” Her New Song “Karma” From Miley Cyrus and Brit Smith

JoJo Siwa is setting the record straight. The Dance Moms alum shut down rumors that she stole her la