The Californian
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A correctional officer found dead in the entryway of his southwest Bakersfield home appeared to have been shot multiple times and may have known his killer, according to court filings.
Detectives say Carl Aaron Crawford was discovered by his girlfriend at 8:32 a.m. Aug. 22 in the 2600 block of Hempstead Lane. He was lying in a pool of blood.
A large number of ants were milling on and around his body and much of the blood had coagulated, indicating the 60-year-old Crawford had died hours earlier, according to the filings. No eyewitnesses to the shooting have been found, but neighbors reported hearing what they believed were gunshots about 10 p.m. the night before.
None reported the shots to authorities.
Detectives said in the filings a large exterior lamp was switched on above the entrance of the single-story house, and the doors have inset oval-shaped windows making it easy to see either in or out of the residence. Detectives believe the suspect approached the front door at night, and that he or she may have known the victim.
A DNA swab was taken from a filing cabinet in a northwest bedroom as detectives searched the home, but its significance was not explained in the filings.
A search warrant resulted in authorities seizing bullets from the entryway and the west side of the living room, as well as a shotgun and a rifle from the master bedroom. Two safes kept in the master bedroom were also seized.
Crawford owned five vehicles, each of which was searched by detectives. His duty belt and “stab vest,” body armor designed for protection against knife attacks, were taken by authorities.