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A California tree trimmer was found guilty this week in a series of gruesome throat-slashings that occurred in 2020.
His first known attack occurred on May 19, 2020.
At the time, Blinston was part of a crew that was doing tree-trimming services at the Los Molinos home of Homer and Loreen Severs. According to prosecutors, after work was finished for the day, Blinston returned later that evening to the home on a “scouting trip.” The following morning, on May 19, he returned and forced his way inside the home, slitting the couple’s throats and killing 88-year-old Loreen.
Homer, 91, survived the assault, but later died of an unrelated illness in December of 2020, prosecutors said.
Blinston struck again just over two weeks later, killing 82-year-old Sandra George in her Oroville home on June 4. Blinston again was part of a crew that worked on George’s house earlier that day.
“The prosecutors proved after the work was completed and the crew left, Blinston returned alone to George’s home and killed her,” according to the district attorneys for Tehama and Butte counties. “As with the Severs, her throat was slashed inside her home.”
Three weeks later, on June 21, a fisherman in the Feather River near Belden found the body of Blinston’s acquaintance Vicky Cline.
“Damage to her throat was consistent with the other victim murders,” according to the district attorney’s office.
Cline, 57, was last seen alive with Blinston in downtown Oroville on June 6. Her car was found abandoned and intentionally set on fire later that night.
“Blood and DNA evidence on and in Blinston’s car was forensically matched back to Cline,” according to prosecutors.
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The SWAT team witnessed Blinston trying to get inside the motorhome with a hatchet,CBS13reported. Blinston fled but was caught after a “brief but violent struggle” with law enforcement, prosecutors said.
The 50-year-old man told authorities that he met Blinston earlier that day and allowed him to stay in his motorhome overnight because Blinston claimed he was frightened of bears, according to CBS13.
The man said he was asleep when he woke up to Blinston attacking him with a knife. The man was able to fight him off and force Blinston out of the motorhome, prosecutors said, CBS13 reported.
Prosecutors said robbery was not a motive in the attacks, theAssociated Pressreported.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14. His attorney could not be reached for comment.
source: people.com
