Santa Monica police arrest man accused of strangling homeless woman in unprovoked attack

Police have arrested a man accused of strangling a homeless woman earlier this year in Santa Monica.

Oscar Benn, a 27-year-old resident of Altadena, was arrested on Nov. 14 in connection with the brutal attack, which happened Sept. 22.

Benn is accused of attacking a 25-year-old woman who was new to the area and experiencing homelessness, leaving her with severe injuries from strangulation and facial trauma, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

Police found the victim on the 1400 block of Alley 5 around 12:30 a.m. Witnesses told investigators that the attack was unprovoked and the suspect repeatedly kick and punched the woman as she was on the ground.

The attack was captured on surveillance footage, which showed the suspect fleeing the scene. That video was later released to the public, but the man was not immediately identified.

But a Nov. 3 tip to investigators led them to identify Benn as the alleged suspect. He was arrested near a Veterans Affairs facility in West Los Angeles on Nov. 14.

Investigators say Benn has a history of previous arrests for assault and burglary.

“The arrest of this individual underscores the importance of community involvement in solving crimes,” the Santa Monica Police Department said in a statement. “The Police Department would like to thank the public for their assistance, which was instrumental in bringing this suspect into custody.”

Benn has since been booked into jail and is being held on $2.025 million bail. He has been charged with attempted murder and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 18, jail records show.

Anyone with additional information about the suspect or the attack is encouraged to contact the SMPD watch commander at any time by calling 310-458-8427.

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