San Diego, California — Authorities have launched a multi-agency investigation following the discovery of multiple human remains at a property in the Southcrest neighborhood. The investigation, which unfolded this week, included the San Diego Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the FBI as they sought to untangle the circumstances surrounding the findings.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on the property located on Newton Avenue after receiving information that prompted further inquiry into the home’s previous residents. Lt. Travis Easter of the San Diego Police Department confirmed that the remains were located during the search, igniting widespread concern and interest in the case.
Investigators have identified 74-year-old Dwight Rhone as a person of interest in relation to the remains. Rhone’s connection to the property is significant; he lived there until being evicted in 2022 and has a history of criminal offenses, including a recent charge related to a homicide investigation earlier this year. Officials are working to determine the identities of the remains and the causes of death, with the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office taking the lead on the analysis.
The investigation stems from a homicide case involving Rhone, who is currently awaiting trial for allegedly shooting a man along Interstate 905 and setting his body ablaze last October. Documents indicate that Rhone had long been associated with the Newton Avenue residence, having listed it as his address on legal petitions.
As investigators meticulously searched the backyard, they utilized shovels to collect what appeared to be bones, drawing intense media and community scrutiny. The current residents, sisters Judith Santos Gonzalez and Selena Estrada Gonzalez, expressed shock at the sudden presence of law enforcement, stating they were informed that the investigation was linked to previous tenants and a cold case from 2020.
The sisters, who moved into the home last year, were taken aback by the search. They mentioned that law enforcement had knocked on their door unexpectedly, conveying that a judge had approved the search warrant for the residence. “They came up to our door on a Sunday evening, and we were just relaxing,” Judith recounted. “They told us we had to leave because the search was going to start the next morning.”
Rhone’s tumultuous history at the property is marked by previous legal troubles. A civil restraining order issued in 2017 had mandated his removal from the home following complaints from then-owner Ernie Monia, Rhone’s sister-in-law. Monia had alleged that Rhone allowed unwanted individuals to stay at the house and verbally abused her when confronted about his behavior.
In the wake of the ongoing investigation, authorities are urging the public to share any information related to Rhone and any potential criminal activities. Residents have expressed anxiety over the unsettling developments, and the neighborhood remains an active scene of investigation.
As details continue to emerge, Law enforcement is focusing on piecing together Rhone’s involvement with the findings at the property. The community is left grappling with the implications and the unsettling prospect of a potentially long-standing mystery related to the remains that have resurfaced.
This investigation is ongoing, and authorities are expected to provide updates as they make progress in identifying the remains and assessing the full scope of the case.