Suspect identified in murder of Aptos woman

Santa Cruz Police Detectives have identified the man suspected of killing an Aptos woman. The suspect named is the son of victim Shannon Magner. He is Kasey Gaskell, 43, from Santa Cruz.

Police have issued an $800,000 warrant for Gaskell’s arrest.

Police said Magner once lived with her son at the apartment on Front Street in Santa Cruz, where her body was discovered on Monday, September 26th. Police said she’d relocated to Aptos. Police said her son, Kasey Gaskell, continued to live at the apartment.

Detectives determined the death to be a homicide. According to an autopsy, Magner had been stabbed in the back of the neck.

The motive is unknown. Gaskell has not been seen for several days and police do not know where he is. PREVIOUS STORY: Police are investigating the murder of a 66 year old Aptos woman who was found dead inside a Santa Cruz apartment complex this week. Reports of a strange odor led police to her body, and her murder has residents living at the complex shocked.

“Everyone was stunned and more or less in shock about it. We knew something else was going on besides a simple passing but we had no idea it was a homicide,” said Mildred Weifert of Santa Cruz.

Around 5 a.m. Monday morning police responded to a call at the St. George Residence apartments, that’s where they found 66 year old, Shannon Magner dead inside a second floor apartment. Surf City barber shop is next door, and the owner of 42 years, Jerome Fardette said its become a tough neighborhood.

“There’s just a lot of weird stuff happening around here so im just not surprised,” said Fardette.

Monday’s homicide makes it Santa Cruz’s fourth this year. And all four are in the same area. On January 5, the first homicide occurred on the 100 block of Chestnut Street. August 23, 24 year old Joseph Shuemaker was shot and killed on the levee of the San Lorenzo River. September 22, another shooting took place this time on Broadway and Pennsylvania. The most recent shooting happened on the 800 block of Front Street.
Magner was stabbed in the back of the neck, according to the autopsy report. The motive for the St. George murder is not yet known, but the city said police are investigating.

“Anytime there’s a homicide it impacts the community it impacts the city and we’re really thankful that we have a police department that’s following up on all the leads possible to apprehend the suspect,” said assistant city manager, Scott Collins.

Police believe the suspect has fled the area and is no longer a threat to the community.

“Detectives have determined a possible suspect. this time we’re working with the district attorneys office to process an arrest warrant, once we have that arrest warrant signed we’ll be able to identify the suspect,” said Santa Cruz police, media relations, Joyce Blaschke.

Residents said they are trying to cope with what happened inside a building they call home.

“It’s just a very traumatic experience for everyone that’s touched by it and we’re just doing the best that we can to deal with it,” said Weifert.