Women Tell Lucas Murder Trial of Finding Dazed Attack Victim

Prosecutors in the David Lucas murder trial moved into evidence Tuesday the circumstances of the 1984 attack on a woman who survived having her throat slashed.

Lucas, 33, of Spring Valley, is charged with killing six people from 1979 to 1984 and with attempted murder upon Jodie Santiago, 34, after she was kidnaped upon leaving an El Cajon restaurant June 8, 1984.

Santiago, of Seattle, has identified Lucas as her attacker and is considered one of the most important witnesses in the case, which could bring the death penalty for Lucas if he is convicted.

She will probably not testify until next week. On Tuesday, two women from the Mt. Helix area testified how they found the dazed and bleeding Santiago at 6:30 a.m. while they were on an early-morning walk June 9, 1984.

Janice Melton and Davene Gibson testified that they were walking near Calavo Drive and Lyons Drive when they found Santiago trying to sit up in an area of grass and gravel nearby.

“As she turned, we could see her face was bloody and the front part was bloody,” said Gibson.

The two women said they ran to the first house nearby, but no one answered the door, so they ran to a second house and called 911.

“She was obviously hurt, and I think both of us were terrified. She was not fully clothed,” Gibson said.

Santiago tried to speak, but could only make gurgling sounds, the women said.

San Diego County Sheriff’s Detective Tom Streed finished his testimony Tuesday about the Dec. 8, 1981, slaying of Gayle Garcia, 29, a real estate saleswoman who died in a home she was showing to prospective buyers in Spring Valley.

Using a picture board, Streed compared the bloody crime scene pictures of Garcia, Suzanne Jacobs, 31, and Colin Jacobs, 3, who were slain May 4, 1979, in Normal Heights.

Lucas is also charged with the Oct. 23, 1984, slayings of Rhonda Strang, 24, and the 3-year-old girl, Amber Fisher, she was baby sitting in her Lakeside home. Other charges include the Nov. 20, 1984, kidnap and murder of Anne Swanke, 22, of San Carlos.

All victims had their throats cut.