California Man Accused in Slingshot Vandalism Dies at 81

The 81-year-old man who was arrested last week, accused of a decade-long string of vandalism with a slingshot in Azusa, Calif., died on Wednesday.

The man, Prince Raymond King, died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office reported. It described the manner of death as “natural.”

Mr. King faced five counts of felony vandalism and two misdemeanor vandalism charges.

Upon Mr. King’s arrest last week, the police described him as a “serial slingshot shooter.” They said that a slingshot and ball bearings were found on his property, which was on the same block where the crimes were carried out.

Neighbors had reported damage to car and house windows for years. Some had reported pellets narrowly missing them. Neighbors had collected pellets found in their yards over the years and paid hundreds of dollars to repair broken windows.

While at least one neighbor said she had seen Mr. King using a slingshot, others expressed surprise at his arrest.

The police said they used the locations where damage occurred to narrow their search to one specific residence, Mr. King’s. They surveilled the house and, they said, saw Mr. King using the slingshot. They said he did not appear to have a motive beyond mischief.

Mr. King had pleaded not guilty and was released without bail. He had been awaiting another court date scheduled for June 17.

While slingshot-related crimes are not common news fodder, Mr. King’s case was not the first.

In 1935, two men armed with slingshots headed to Central Park to hunt. As reported in The New York Times under the headline, “Nimrods in Park Use a Slingshot,” the men were arrested and charged with killing birds without a permit.