The Palo Alto man who police said fatally shot the apartment manager at the Alta Torre Apartments before killing himself in the building's elevator believed that the manager was stealing items from his apartment, the police investigation concluded.
Marc Alvin Miller, 69, is believed to have shot the building's manager, Vincent DePaul Collins, 70, four times on the afternoon of March 19 in the manager's office of the Fabian Way complex for low-income seniors. He then reportedly entered the building's elevator and shot himself once in the head with a 9-mm Smith and Wesson pistol.
Since that afternoon, Palo Alto officers have been interviewing residents, friends and family members of the shooters to determine the possible motive for the shooting.
The investigation into the murder-suicide suggested that Miller shot Collins because he suspected that Collins had been stealing items from the apartment, though police found no evidence that any theft had actually occurred. Police did not specify which items were purported to have been stolen, though officers say they were personal items with no obvious monetary value. Miller had allegedly told several friends that he believed Collins had stolen from him, though according to the police, the friends told Miller that he had "likely just misplaced the items."
Even so, the suspicions continued. On Feb. 8, Miller called the police to allege that Collins had been entering his apartment when it was unoccupied and stealing miscellaneous objects. Police said an officer responded but could find no evidence that a crime had been committed.
"The officer interviewed the victim (Collins), who denied that he had committed any theft, or had even been inside the suspect's apartment without his permission," Palo Alto police said in a statement.
Though some neighbors suggested that Collins' strict enforcement of complex rules, particularly its parking policies, may have contributed to the dispute, police said that the investigation did not uncover any motives for the shooting murder aside from the suspected theft. After the March 19 incident, Palo Alto police searched the homes of both Miller and Collins and didn't find any evidence suggesting that anything had been stolen.
Police said that since Alta Torre Apartments opened in 2010, there has not been a single theft or burglary reported at the facility. Collins had worked at Alta Torre as a manager since the building opened.
The March incident was the city's first homicide since October 2009, when Bulos Zumot was arrested for killing his girlfriend, Jennifer Schipsi, and setting their shared cottage on fire.
Related content:
• Two men, two divergent lives, one fatal conflict (March 27, 2015)
• Manager slain at Palo Alto senior complex described as 'strict,' 'kind' (March 24, 2015)
• Victims identified in suspected murder-suicide in Palo Alto (March 21, 2015)
• Police investigate possible murder-suicide in Palo Alto (March 19, 2015)
Comments
Old Mountain View
on Apr 1, 2015 at 11:03 am
on Apr 1, 2015 at 11:03 am
Mental illness and easy access to guns caused this murder.
Castro City
on Apr 1, 2015 at 12:05 pm
on Apr 1, 2015 at 12:05 pm
" Mental illness and easy access to guns caused this murder."\
At least you got 50% correct. It was mental illness that caused the murder. Easy access to guns did not make a differences since this feud had been brewing for quite some time
Stierlin Estates
on Apr 1, 2015 at 2:09 pm
on Apr 1, 2015 at 2:09 pm
You're 100% correct parent.
Without easy gun access and it's a whole new story with a 69 year old and a 70 year old wresting in the hall.
Shoreline West
on Apr 1, 2015 at 2:46 pm
on Apr 1, 2015 at 2:46 pm
@Logic
Riiiight, because when you're out to murder someone but don't have a gun, wrestling is your only other option.
Or were you being sarcastic?
Stierlin Estates
on Apr 2, 2015 at 5:27 am
on Apr 2, 2015 at 5:27 am
I was simply pointing out that it's much much easier for a 69 y.o. to use a gun to kill without needing to be in close contact w/ the person who could then maybe fight back. That's what I meant. Do you understand now?
Just because you can knife someone doesn't mean we should allow guns, bombs or any other devise used to kill to be readily available to even the mentally unstable. Faulty logic in that argument.
another community
on Apr 2, 2015 at 10:14 am
on Apr 2, 2015 at 10:14 am
The apartment manager had threatened to evict Mr. Miller on many occasions. The apartment manager had ridiculed and made fun of Mr. Miller on many occasions. Mr. Miller lived alone. Did the police take fingerprints to determine if someone other than Mr. Miller such as that apartment manager was inside Mr. Miller's apartment? The items missing were a Medicare card, Social Security card and family mementos. Why wouldn't Mr. Miller be aware of the location of these items and if they were missing?
The apartment manager was said to be inventive and charitable. Why didn't he help Mr. Miller, his neighbor of five years, get his car fixed instead of banishing Mr. Miller's car from the parking lot and into the street where parking is very difficult?
Even though they say there were no robberies or burglaries at this Senior complex, it is not uncommon for staff at senior complexes stealing from the elderly residents, threatening them, ridiculing them and even assaulting them. Please do an Internet search for details.
A little patience, kindness, helpfulness and charity could have saved two lives in the wealthiest county in California.