Crime & Safety
Child Rape Suspect Who Faked His Death Lived As LA Maintenance Man: PD
A well-liked Downtown Los Angeles apartment maintenance man was hiding a dark secret, according to authorities.
LOS ANGELES, CA — The death of a man who was working as a maintenance man at a Downtown Los Angeles apartment building has prompted an investigation by police in Washington, who say the man was living under an assumed name after faking his death to avoid a child rape charge.
The 56-year-old man residents of the downtown building knew as Mark Clemens died in his apartment on Feb. 26.
But the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that Clemens was actually named Christian Basham. The office alerted police in Bremerton, Washington, west of Seattle, who said Basham apparently faked his own death in 2009 after being accused of child rape.
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"In 2008, Christian Robert Basham was arrested and charged with second-degree child rape," according to the Bremerton Police Department. "He was released after posting $350,000 bail. On March 29, 2009, a witness reported seeing Basham jump from mid-span on the (Tacoma) Narrows bridge. His car and a suicide note were later found."
Despite an extensive search, Basham's body was never found, police said.
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But that changed when police were contacted by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner earlier this week, informing them that Basham was found dead in his downtown L.A. home.
"Though the criminal case against Basham will be closed, Bremerton detectives will be doing follow-up regarding Basham's movement and actions since his supposed death in 2009," Bremerton police said.
Basham's cause of death in downtown Los Angeles was listed as deferred by the medical examiner.
Tommy Cuellar, who lived next door to the man he knew as Mark Clemens, told ABC7 the news was "very shocking."
"This was our maintenance guy," Cuellar said. "This was the guy who had keys to our apartments. It was troubling to say the least, as you could imagine."
Cuellar told Channel 7 that residents in the building had been planning a memorial service for "Clemens." He said the man was a good maintenance worker, and he even babysat Cuellar's cat on occasion.
"He was just like a normal person, a little rough sometimes but it was his personality," Cuellar told the station. "No other clue that he was this person he was accused of being."
City News Service
