Reason for Tuesday morning's shooting still unclear
Community struggling to understand why
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers WITHOUT REASON- Crime scene investigators, at left, take measurements from the chair where Susan Sutcliffe sat outside of a Simi Valley tire shop reading a book Tuesday morning before being shot and killed by Robert Becerra, right. Becerra proceeded to shoot two store employees before fatally turning his gun on himself. One of the wounded has since been released from medical care while the other remains in Simi Valley Hospital recovering. Police have still not determined a motive for the killing.

The motive in a shooting rampage that left two people dead and two injured on Tuesday morning is still unclear, Simi Valley police said Thursday.

Susan Sutcliffe, 53, was fatally shot in the head while waiting for service at Tire Pros on 4386 E. Los Angeles Ave.

The killer, Simi Valley resident Robert Becerra, 29, was also found dead at the scene from a selfinflicted gunshot wound, according to Sgt. David Livingstone of the Simi Valley Police Department.

Tire Pros manager Henry John Heeber IV, 37, was released yesterday from Simi Valley Hospital. He suffered gunshot wounds to both arms, according to hospital spokesperson Jeremy Brewer.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers

The fourth shooting victim, 20year-old Tire Pros employee Albert Ramirez of Moorpark, was hit in the stomach and is in fair condition at the hospital, Brewer said.

On Thursday morning Livingstone said, "The detectives are still trying to piece together a motive. They are speaking to family members of the suspect and trying to determine what state of mind he was in prior to the shooting and if there were any emotional (or) traumatic events that took place in his life over the past few weeks."

At approximately 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a report of gunshots in the area. They found the four victims at the scene and later identified Becerra as the assailant.

Shasta Gainer, a deputy medical examiner with the county of Ventura, confirmed that both fatalities were caused by gunshot wounds to the head. Becerra's death was classified as a suicide and Sutcliffe's as a homicide- the second homicide of the year in Simi Valley.

Livingstone said in a prepared statement that Becerra (who is not related to City Councilmember Glen Becerra) had no history with Simi police other than a speeding ticket he received in February. A previous contact with police occurred in 2005, when Becerra reported he had fired his father's handgun at what he thought was a prowler in his backyard.

Though the bullet was found at a neighbor's house, no charges were filed because the neighbor told police that he didn't think Becerra meant to cause him any harm. Police have not released any further information about Becerra.

Cosme Torres, owner of the nearby Newcastle Motors, said John Heeber ran down the block into the Newcastle garage asking for help.

"He was bleeding a lot from the arms," Torres said. "He was saying 'Call 911, call 911!'"

A video surveillance recording from Newcastle Motors shows Heeber running into the complex, holding his arms up, trying to get the attention of employees. Footage shows Heeber moments later, sitting in a chair near the office door while Torres makes a phone call.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers FRIGHTENING SCENE- A Simi Valley police detective checks out the Los Angeles Avenue sidewalk spotted with the blood of shooting victim and tire shop owner, John Heeber, who ran to a nearby business for help after being struck by bullets in both arms.

Roberta Woods, co-owner of Simi Valley Honda on the same block, said police had already cordoned off the area when she and her husband, Jim, arrived for work shortly before 9 a.m.

"(The police) kept us closed until they cleaned up out front," she said. "They didn't let us go to the front because of the trail of blood outside."

At Simi Valley Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, about 50 members of the Blessed Hope Chapel joined friends and family of the injured, said Joe Schimmel, pastor of the congregation.

Schimmel said Heeber, who is a member of the church, had become manager of Tire Pros less than a year ago and that no one in the shop recognized the shooter.

"He said the guy just blended right in," Schimmel said. "(The assailant) just came up and shot the lady in the front who was waiting outside the showroom.

"He came in and shot Albert," Schimmel said, "at which point John emerged from his office and saw Albert on the ground. The guy was still standing in the doorway."

"It's tragic because John is always reaching out to people," Schimmel said.

"We just thank God that his life was spared. All of our hearts go out to John and to those families who've lost their loved ones. Our hearts break for them, too," he said.

Greg Sutcliffe, Susan's 20year-old son, told the Simi Valley Acorn that his mother died doing what she loved- reading.

"Everyone who knew my mom knew she always had her nose in a book," said Greg, a student at Moorpark College. "And that's how she went."

Services have been planned for Sutcliffe. A wake will be held 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Rose Family Funeral Home, 4444 Cochran St., Simi Valley. A service and Mass will take place 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter Claver Church, 5649 Pittman St., Simi Valley. Interment will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park at 22601 Lassen St. in Chatsworth. - Acorn editor Kyle Jorrey contributed to this story