One of two teenagers charged in connection with the death of a homeless woman allegedly texted his friend that he was "going hobo hunting."
In May, San Diego police found a woman – later identified as 68-year-old Annette Pershal – unresponsive. She was rushed to a hospital and died three days later on May 11.
Investigators found wounds from a pellet gun, and doctors determined Pershal's injuries were "non-survivable," and her death was ruled a homicide, San Diego police said in a press release.
In court Monday, Deputy District Attorney Roza Egiazarian read one of William Innes' messages in a group text chain, which included co-defendant Ryan Hopkins: "I'm going hobo hunting with a pellet gun," according to NBC San Diego.
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Innes, 18, and Hopkins, 19, were arrested last Thursday. Innes was charged with first-degree murder, as well as possession of an assault weapon, which are banned in California, and failure to apply for serial numbers for two would-be firearms under state legislation.
Hopkins was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors said he drove Innes to the crime scene, according to NBC News.
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The suspects pleaded not guilty to all charges, and records show they are being held in jail.
Pershal was shot in the head, leg and torso, the prosecutor alleged in court. One of the pellets ruptured her aorta, NBC San Diego reported.
The homeless woman was living in an encampment on Sandrock Road in San Diego when she was killed.
Police reportedly found the possible murder weapon – an air rifle loaded with pellets – in Innes' home, according to NBC News.
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The homeless crisis in the city has spiraled out of control, with encampments springing up throughout the city.
The first of two "safe sleeping" areas for San Diego's homeless opened in early July.
The area includes a new tent campsite behind a barbed-wire fence opened at San Diego’s Central Operations Yard at 20th and B streets. City officials are planning to pitch as many as 136 tents with the capacity to hold approximately 150 people in an effort to move them from downtown areas.
The site will be operated by the nonprofit organization Dreams for Change, which previously took part in maintaining "safe parking" sites for people living in vehicles.
The area has been described as a "low barrier" shelter that prohibits residents from bringing in weapons, alcohol or drugs but does not require guests to be sober. Homeless residents will also have access to restrooms, meals and mobile showers.
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According to data from the Downtown San Diego Partnership, nearly 2,000 people lived outside in the city in April, the highest in more than a decade. A more recent count put the number at over 2,100 people living on sidewalks or in vehicles.
Mayor Todd Gloria also proposed a city budget that included $81.7 million for homelessness services, a nearly $20 million increase from the last fiscal year.
Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.
