Los Angeles County Sheriff\'s Department Anthony Rauda pictured in his mugshot and in a photo taken by police at the time of his arrest in October 2018.
A Californian man has been arrested in the murder of a scientist who was killed while camping in a tent with his two young daughters at Malibu Creek State Park in June 2018, authorities say. Anthony Rauda is also accused of trying to kill 10 other people by shooting at them in the Malibu area, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release. Rauda is also facing several burglary charges.
A 42-year-old parolee and drifter, Rauda has been in custody since he was arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in October 2018 on suspicion of burglary charges. He was held in jail on a parole violation, according to court records. At the time of his October arrest, there was speculation that Rauda was connected to the shooting death of 35-year-old Tristan Beaudette, who was killed on June 18, 2018, and a string of unsolved shooting incidents in and around Malibu Creek State Park, but police stopped short of calling him a suspect or person of interest.
The charges against Rauda were announced on January 7, 2019. The case remains under investigation by the sheriff’s department, prosecutors say. He was charged with murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and five counts of burglary, the district attorney’s office said.
Rauda faces up to life in prison if convicted of the charges against him. He remains in custody on $1.1 million bail after appearing in court on January 7 for his arraignment. He did not enter a plea during the court hearing and his public defender has not commented about the case. Rauda is scheduled to return to court again on January 22. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Barnes of the district attorney’s office’s major crimes division, according to the press release. During a previous court appearance in the parole revocation case, Rauda was wheeled into court strapped to a chair with a spit mask covering his face, according to CBS Los Angeles. Authorities said he tried to bite, spit on and attack people prior to court, the news station reported.
Here’s what you need to know about Anthony Rauda:
1. Rauda Is Accused of Firing at Campers or Drivers Multiple Times From November 2016 Until Just 4 Days Before He Fatally Shot Beaudette, Authorities Say
Tristan Beaudette with his wife and children.
Anthony Rauda is accused of opening fire on at least 10 “unsuspecting campers or motorists dating back to November 2016,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release. In the first incident, Rauda is accused of wounding a man who was sleeping in a hammock in the Malibu State Park area in November 2016. A week later, prosecutors say Rauda fired into the sleeping area of a vehicle, but no one was injured.
“Rauda also is accused of shooting into vehicles on three different occasions in 2017. No one was injured,” the district attorney’s office said. “The defendant allegedly shot at a Tesla on Las Virgenes Road on June 18, 2018. Four days later, he is accused of killing Tristan Beaudette, 35, who was shot and killed while in a tent with his two daughters in Malibu Creek State Park. His children were not injured.”
Rauda is also facing charges connected to several burglaries that occurred in 2018 in the Calabasas area, according to prosecutors. He was arrested in connection to those cases in October, but the charges were formally brought against him at the same time as the murder and attempted murder charges.
Anthony Rauda, the parolee suspected of being rifle-toting thief in a series of food heists in #Malibu #Calabasas gets 160 days in county jail for failing to report to probation 2 yrs ago. 📸 by: @CBSLA @KNX1070
Tristan Beaudette, of Irvine, California, was killed early in the morning of June 22. “Words cannot express the absolute devastation and sorrow we feel from the loss of someone so dear to our family. Tristan, you were such an amazing father, husband, son, and brother. You were admired by so many for your devotion to your wife and two daughters. We are all so fortunate to have known you for your short time on Earth. You were taken from us far too early, doing something you loved with the girls you adored. You will be so dearly missed. May you rest in peace,” his family wrote in a post on a Facebook page belonging to his wife, Dr. Erica Wu Beaudette.
Beaudette was found bleeding from a head wound inside a tent with his young daughters after police responded to a report of shots fired, KCAL-TV reports. The children, ages 2 and 4, were not injured, police said.
“The theory we are working with is he was shot inside the tent,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Rodney Moore told the Los Angeles Times. “The children were inside the tent, too. We are working this as a homicide at this point. We are gathering evidence. … It will take some time.”
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the shooting happened on Friday, June 22, 2018, at 4:44 a.m. in the 1900 block of Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas, in the Malibu Creek State Park. “Homicide detectives are confirming that at the time of the shooting, the victim was inside the tent with his two children.” The LASD added, “Homicide detectives have learned that deputies from Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station responded to the location regarding a shots fired call. When deputies arrived they located the male adult victim who had sustained at least one gunshot wound to his upper torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Prosecutors charged #AnthonyRauda, with 1 count of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder & 5 counts of second-degree burglary on Mon.
#Rauda‘s charged with the murder of #TristanBeaudette,shot and killed in #malibucreekstatepark camping June 2018
Full Story @julieellerton IG
Pamela Wu, Beaudette’s sister-in-law, wrote on Facebook that Beaudette was camping with her husband, Scott McCurdy, and four children. “Tristan Beaudette and Scott McCurdy arrived at Malibu State Creek Park early afternoon on Thursday, 6/21, with our kids (our two little boys and Tristan’s and Erica Wu’s two little girls). The kids had their bikes and sand toys, were running around and probably making a ton of noise – you could not have missed them. If you live in or around Malibu State Creek Park or were in the area on 6/21 or 6/22 and think you might have information, please call the L.A. County Sheriff’s Office at: 323-890-5500,” she wrote.
Beaudette’s wife, Dr. Erica Wu, was not camping with her husband and daughters. She is an OB/GYN at the UC Irvine Medical Center. According to KCAL-TV, Beaudette took his daughters on the camping trip so Erica could study for an exam. His family said in a statement that Beaudette, was a “supportive and generous husband,” and a scientist who loved cooking and beers, especially microbrews. “His selfless devotion to his children came naturally, and Tristan found true in all aspects of being a father. The grief and trauma this loss has caused our close-knit family is indescribable,” the family said.
2. He Was Arrested on a Probation Violation in October While Armed With a Long Gun & Was Suspected in a Series of Food Burglaries, the Sheriff’s Office Says
Judge in Downtown LA has revoked PRCS (‘parole-light’) for Anthony Rauda, the man suspected in a series of unusual, late-night, armed food burglaries in Calabasas / Malibu. No new criminal charges filed yet in mysterious shootings near Malibu Creek State Park. @NBCLA
Rauda has been in custody since October 2018 after he was arrested on a parole violation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He was taken into custody on October 10 near Malibu Creek State Park, NBC Los Angeles reported at the time. He was then sentenced to 160 days in jail for violating the terms of his court-supervised release in another case. He had previously been convicted of burglary and illegal possession of weapons charges. Rauda was caught with a rifle during the October arrest.
Police said at the time that Rauda was suspected in a series of unusual early morning break-ins near the state park in which an armed and masked burglar stole food from buildings. Surveillance video obtained by NBC Los Angeles showed a man police believe to be Rauda breaking into a construction office on September 30. The news station reports the video showed a masked man with a rifle or long gun over his shoulder prying open a window and climbing inside the building. The video showed the burglar was wearing a battery-powered headlamp and tactical-style clothing. Food was taken from the building, but cash and other valuables were left behind, police said.
After that arrest, police conducted ballistic tests on the rifle he was found with, which confirmed it was used in several shootings, the Los Angeles Times reports. Los Angelas County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told the newspaper that it is not believed that Rauda knew any of the victims. He said they were “all random, targets of opportunity.”
Villanueva praised investigators for their work on the case, telling The Times, “It represented a challenge in many regards: the sheer logistics of it, the fact that there was a time period of almost two years that we had to backtrack and figure out what his activities were,” Villanueva said. “It took a lot of hard work and good old-fashioned police work to make it happen.”
3. Rauda Is a ‘Survivalist’ Who Lived Outdoors in the Malibu Area & Elsewhere Along the California Coast & Has a Lengthy Criminal Record in Multiple States, Including Gun & Assault Convictions
Anthony Rauda.
Anthony Rauda is a “survivalist” who has been sleeping outside in or around Malibu Creek State Park for at least the past two years, the Los Angeles Times reports. Officials told The Times that Rauda would break into buildings to steal food and other items to help him survive outdoors, but he was not interested in stealing valuables. The officials also told The Times that Rauda’s weapon of choice changed during the two years, from a shotgun to a rifle, but it is not clear how he obtained those weapons. Rauda has a felony criminal record and is barred from purchasing or possessing firearms.
According to online records, Rauda has several convictions for illegal weapons possession in California, both in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. His criminal record also dates back to his time in Texas and Florida, where he has convictions for assault and disorderly conduct. He was convicted of disorderly conduct in 1999 in Hillsborough County, Florida, according to records. Later in 1999, Rauda was convicted of assault causing bodily injury in El Paso, Texas.
4. He Was Born in Tampa, Florida, & Has at Times Pursued Careers in Music & Art
Anthony Rauda pictured, left, in court in a screengrab from CBS Los Angeles and in right in his Linkedin profile photo.
Tony Rauda was born in Tampa, Florida, on July 30, 1976, public records show. He has lived in several California cities, including Canoga Park, Lake Elsinore, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village, dating back to about 2005, according to online records. He has also lived in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and Spring, Texas, along with Tampa.
According to a Linkedin profile and a website created by Rauda, he has pursued careers in both music and arts. On Linkedin, he wrote that he was making a “music album (hip at hop) from 2012 to 2013. It’s unclear if he ever released it. He also listed his employment as “arts and crafts professional,” and said he was a sketch and portraits artist at “Tony’s Final Touch” and was self-employed as an artist. He said he is skilled at three things, writing, drawing and rapping. The website for art business is no longer active.
5. Beaudette Was a Senior Scientist at a Pharmaceutical Company, Studied at Berkeley & Was Preparing to Move to the Bay Area With His Family
Tristan Beaudette.
Tristan Beaudette had worked Allergan, an Irish pharmaceutical company, at its offices in Irvine, California, since 2010, according to his Linkedin page. He began his career there as a USC/Allergan Postdoctoral Fellow, working on drug delivery systems. From August 2011 to March 2015 he was a scientist at Allergan, supporting the formulation and manufacturing process for sustained release combination products, he wrote on Linkedin.
He was promoted to senior scientist in March 2015, and he, was “leading cross-functional CMC teams supporting development of several late stage sustained release combination product dosage forms, including intra-ocular biodegradable implants and non-degradable implants.” He also wrote that he was, “Leading manufacturing process tech. transfer activities to support Phase 3 clinical trials, registration and commercialization, leading formulation and manufacturing process development for sustained release combination products, actively contributing to the development of drug-device combination products and design control activities and contributing to technical CMC assessments as part of late stage product due diligence activities.”
Beaudette was also named an associate director by Allergan in March 2018. On Linkedin, he wrote, “Skilled technical leader with over 7 years of industry experience in late stage pharmaceutical drug product development. Multidisciplinary scientific background with expertise in formulation, materials science, polymer chemistry, and pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies including extrusion, molding, and compression. Experienced in formulation and manufacturing process development of solid dosage forms, with broad expertise in sustained release drug delivery systems (bio-erodible and non-degradable) and combination products. Successful track record managing cross functional Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) teams to meet global project goals and milestones.”
He had recently left Allergan to start a new job, his family and the company said. It is not clear where he was going to be working.
“It is rare that we lose a friend and colleague, especially in an event that was senseless and difficult to understand,” company spokeswoman Amy Long said in a statement to the New York Post. “Tristan will be remembered as a talented scientist who was admired by all who knew him and a meaningful contributor to our company’s research and development efforts. Please know that we are working closely with Tristan’s wife and family to provide them with the support they need during this very challenging time.”
Tristan Beaudette with his daughter.
Beaudette was originally from Fresno. According to the Fresno Bee, Beaudette was a valedictorian at Edison High School in 2000. He graduated from the University of California San Diego in 2005 with a degree in chemistry, according to his Linkedin profile. Beaudette spent a year as a summer research intern at IBM. He then began pursuing his Ph.D in chemistry at UC Berkeley in 2005, completing his studies in 2010. He wrote a thesis entitled, “Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Acid-Degradable Polymeric Materials for Protein-Based Vaccine,” a research project, ” focused on the design, synthesis, characterization, and implementation of acid-sensitive polymeric microparticulate and nanoparticulate vehicles for vaccine and drug delivery applications,” he wrote on Linkedin.
While at Berkeley, Beaudette was a graduate student instructor and worked on several research projects that were focused on pharmaceuticals and vaccines, according to his Linkedin profile. He wrote that he, “Synthesized polyacrylamide, polyacetal, and polysaccharide-based acid-degradable microparticles and used in vitro and in vivo techniques to characterize their ability to elicit cell-mediated immune responses for applications in vaccines and cancer therapy.” He also wrote, he, “Developed methods for chemoselective particle functionalization for use in targeted drug and gene delivery.” And, “Led a multidisciplinary team of chemists, immunologists, and biologists in an NIH-funded collaborative project involving the design of novel protein-based vaccine formulations,” while also composing, “multiple scientific research proposals. Presented and published graduate work at national conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.”
Tristan Beaudette with his daughter.
Beaudette and his wife, Dr. Erica Wu, were planning to move to the Bay Area for new jobs, his family said on the GoFundMe page to help Wu and his daughters. The fundraiser had received more than $80,000 in donations by Monday afternoon.
“Tristan was out doing something he adored in life, being in the outdoors with his two young girls. His wife Erica was preparing to take an exam the next morning,” the family wrote. “This was their final step before taking well-deserved time off together as a family prior to their relocation to new jobs in the Bay Area. They were about to embark on a new chapter in their lives. And then it was all taken away, by a fatal gun shot in the middle of the night, in front of his two young daughters. Not a second goes by that we aren’t grappling with the senselessness of this crime.”
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