Car Spotted, Suspect Held in Knife Death of Eye Doctor

A suspect in the slaying of a Newport Beach ophthalmologist was arrested in Hollywood early Tuesday after Los Angeles police saw him driving the victim’s stolen white Mercedes-Benz sedan, authorities said.

Officers spotted the suspect, identified as Allen J. Lindsey, 23, of Hollywood, about 2:50 a.m. on a Hollywood street. Lindsey was arrested standing outside the 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560-SL sedan owned by Dr. Boonkert Chulapatrcheevin, 45, who was found stabbed to death Thursday in his oceanfront duplex in Newport Beach.

An unidentified man riding in the car with Lindsey when he was stopped was detained for questioning, but has claimed no involvement in the murder or theft of the vehicle.

A Newport Beach police spokesman said Lindsey “gave a statement admitting to the crime and claiming self-defense.” Police would not elaborate.

Los Angeles police officers saw the sedan parked on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood with Lindsey inside and the second man standing outside, talking to a third person also standing outside the car, Newport Beach police said. The officers thought the vehicle looked suspicious, ran a check on it and determined it had been reported stolen and was being sought in connection with a murder investigation, Newport Beach Police Officer Bob Oakley said.

Arrest Made Without Incident

When the car pulled away, the Los Angeles officers stopped it and took both Lindsey and his passenger into custody without incident, he said.

“Based on interviews and the investigation that has already been done, there was enough information to make an arrest,” Oakley said.

Lindsey was taken to Orange County by two Newport Beach police officers, arriving at the police station about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. Oakley said Lindsey will be held without bail at the city jail until his arraignment, which probably will be set for Thursday.

Lindsey’s passenger was not arrested, but came to the Newport Beach police station voluntarily to make a statement. “He’s here to supply us with fingerprints and blood samples, basically to eliminate him as a suspect,” Oakley said.

Chulapatrcheevin’s car, which was missing a compact disc player when recovered, was impounded and taken to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department crime laboratory for further investigation, police said. The compact disc player had been pawned at a Hollywood shop, Oakley said.

Oakley said investigators had not yet determined whether there was a connection between Lindsey and the victim.

Informed of the arrest, Chulapatrcheevin’s brother-in-law, Sam Nuntavicharna, said Tuesday, “Are you sure? . . . It’s a good thing (the police) work fast.”

The body of Chulapatrcheevin, a native of Thailand, was discovered Thursday morning inside his duplex in the 2300 block of West Ocean Front on the Balboa Peninsula by his younger brother. His brother had gone to the residence after the doctor failed to show up at his office on Fairview Street in Santa Ana, police said. The car had been stolen out of his garage.

Chulapatrcheevin, known professionally as Chula, apparently was murdered last Wednesday night, police said.

Tenants living in the other half of Chulapatrcheevin’s duplex said that they had heard “strange noises” and calls for help about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, but that they disregarded the noises after checking outside and not seeing or hearing anything more.

Car Heard Starting

Tenants said they later heard the victim’s car start in the garage below the duplex. The car reportedly scraped against the side of the garage as it pulled out.

One neighbor said he saw a man staring at Chulapatrcheevin’s front door about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Later, the neighbor also heard high-pitched cries for help, but after looking out his apartment window and seeing nothing, he returned to watching television.

Chulapatrcheevin, who emigrated from Thailand 10 years ago and opened a practice in Santa Ana, was on a medical staff that served both Santa Ana Hospital Medical Center and Doctors’ Hospital of Santa Ana.

Chulapatrcheevin, a bachelor, bought the duplex where he was killed for $340,000 in 1983, according to property records.

He studied medicine at Chulalongkorn Hospital University of Medical Sciences in Thailand, according to the state Board of Medical Quality Assurance. He obtained a license to practice medicine in California in May, 1978, and was in good standing, a spokeswoman for the medical board said.