Riverside police on Thursday, Oct. 2, identified the man who they say stabbed his father to death, possibly during a mental health crisis, on Saturday.
David Estevan Rendon, 36, was charged with murder on Oct. 1. A hearing to schedule an examination by a psychiatrist was set for Nov. 17 in Superior Court in Riverside.
Rendon is being held at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside in lieu of $1 million bail.
Police say they responded to the home of Crispin Rendon, 74, in the 3400 block of Bahia Place about 4:15 p.m. and found Rendon in the driveway suffering from stab wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
David Rendon refused to come out of the house for more than two hours until he surrendered to SWAT officers, a police news release said.
“The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect may have been experiencing a mental health crisis,” the release said.
Crispin Rendon was well-known in two different circles: Locally, he had been a member of the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, and he researched and published volumes of genealogies of Mexican families after first researching his own history.
Audubon Society member Dori Myers said Rendon used to monitor areas where the construction of warehouses endangered burrowing owls.
“He wanted to make sure they had enough food,” Myers said Thursday. “He was a wonderful volunteer. He took birding classes.”
Rendon spoke at genealogy conferences and to groups such as the Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research in Orange County and published his findings on the website wearecousins.info.
“He did a great job and his family appreciated it, I’m sure,” Myers said.
Police ask anyone with information on the slaying to contact Detective Anthony Watkins at 951-353-7105 or awatkins@riversideca.gov. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app by using the secure “Send a Message” feature. The app is available for download on both Apple and Android devices.
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