Full Notification

Costa Mesa Police Detectives have arrested Christopher Ernest Leovy, age 34, for murder. He is transient with a last known address in the Los Angeles area.

On Monday, September 9, just after 11:00 a.m., Costa Mesa Police responded to a report of a possible deceased male adult at 536 Hamilton Street. Arriving officers found the male victim lying in a gated area of the driveway. The victim was found to have suffered significant trauma to his head and upper torso that appeared consistent with being beaten/bludgeoned with a heavy object.

The victim was identified that morning as John Gerard Kubat, age 54, of Costa Mesa. The release of the victim’s identity had been initially withheld until investigators were able to locate and make notifications to family members.

The location of this incident is a three unit residential property that was currently vacant and in the finishing phases of extensive renovations and outfitting in preparation for it to open as a substance abuse sober living-rehab location. This location had previously been operated as a similar residential sober living facility under different management. The victim, John Kubat, was found to have been employed as a handyman working daily to complete preparations at the location to open for client residency. Detectives learned that Kubat had not worked over the weekend, but had arrived early Monday morning to begin work as usual. Later that morning, a representative for the soon to open sober living facility came to check on the progress of work, finding the victim lying in the gated driveway area and initiating the call to police.

As a result of this investigation, Costa Mesa Police identified Christopher Leovy as a person of interest. In researching Leovy, detectives learned he had first been contacted by CMPD in January of this year at Wilson Park (360 W. Wilson Street). He was determined at that time to be a recent arrival to Costa Mesa from the Los Angeles area.

Leovy had additional subsequent contact with the Costa Mesa Police, including at Wilson Park, for minor violations of the city municipal code. Leovy was known to both patrol officers and Park Rangers as a transient-homeless subject. He was also believed to have been a client at a local sober living facility in the past.

On Wednesday, September 11, at approximately 5:00 p.m., detectives checking various areas located Leovy at Wilson Park. Upon contact, Leovy attempted to run from the officers, became combative and assaulting towards the detectives. He was taken into custody initially for assaulting a peace officer and was transported to the Costa Mesa Jail. Based upon additional information gained throughout the day, Leovy was additionally booked for suspicion of murder in the death of John Kubat.

Christopher Leovy was later transported to the Orange County Jail, with his bail currently set at 1-million dollars. No photograph of Leovy is being released at this time, as aspects of the follow up investigation are ongoing.

An autopsy on John Kubat was performed by the Coroner’s Office on 09-11-13, with the cause of death determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. Additional results of that autopsy are pending with the Coroner’s Office.

The object used as a weapon in the attack on John Kubat was recovered at the crime scene on Monday.

There is no further information being released at this time regarding this investigation or the arrest of Christopher Leovy, who is believed to have acted alone in this crime.

Any persons with information regarding this investigation are encouraged to call:

Detective Sergeant Ed Everett (714) 754-5395 or
Detective Bang Le (714) 754-5361