Full Notification

A 33 year old male transient was arrested following reports by local teenagers and information posted on social media sites of lewd comments and gestures made by the suspect to children while riding a beach bus from the City of Calabasas to local Malibu beaches.

Information that led to the arrest of the suspect was gained from reports to Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station by teenagers, as well as warnings posted by teens to each other about the suspect on social media sites, which was found online by Sheriff’s Investigators. The suspect has been charged with five counts of child annoyance/lewd conduct with the reported male and female victims in their young teenage years.

Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Investigators are seeking additional victims or witnesses to contact the Sheriff’s Department, and encourages all parents to discuss with their children about personal safety.

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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was recently alerted to suspicious behavior of an adult male who was allegedly making lewd remarks and gestures towards the children, as they rode the Calabasas Beach Bus or at the Malibu beaches. A young girl had reported to a City of Calabasas Parks and Recreation employee that her brother had been approached by an white adult male while riding the bus on August 4, 2015 and that the adult had asked her 14 year old brother to place a condom on the suspect. Seeing the immediate concern for this, the City employee immediately notified the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and an initial complaint report was taken.

Following this report, Sheriff’s Detectives learned of a Craigslist posting and other social media messages by area youth that warned members of the community about similar activity involving the suspect. The posting included a photograph of the suspect. Shortly after, Detectives were contacted by four female victims, all ages 14-15, who reported that they had been approached by the suspect either on the bus or at the beach. Each stated that the suspect made lewd comments, of a sexual nature, which caused them both fear and anxiety that the suspect might potentially harm them. Some of the victims reported that the suspect referred to himself by an obscene nickname.  The female victims stated that the suspect made several comments about their appearance while they were wearing bikini swimsuits at the beach.

On August 7, 2015 at approximately 1:30 PM, a local area resident contacted the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and reported that the suspect from the teen’s social media posting was seen loitering in a park at 3701 Lost Hills Road in Calabasas. Detective J.T. Manwell, a Juvenile Team Detective responded to the location and made contact with the suspect.

The suspect was identified as 33-year old William Russell Hix, a transient who had a previous Bel Air address. He was subsequently arrested and has been booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. Detectives have filed five misdemeanor counts of Annoying/Molesting of a Child, 647.6(A)(1) PC with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The suspect is due in Van Nuys Court on Monday morning.

Anyone with information relating to this case is asked to contact the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Detectives at (818) 878-1808 or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

Written by:

Lieutenant A.J. Rotella
Malibu / Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
27050 Agoura Road
Agoura, CA 91301
(818) 878-1808
Website: www.LostHills.lasd.org
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