Spokane man with record linked to 1989 homicide

The unsolved rape and homicide of a homeless woman in a Southern California beach town nearly 20 years ago could have ties to a Spokane man with a lengthy criminal record.

DNA taken from victim Pamela Louise Carpo matched that of Spokane resident Lawrence Ivory Jones, 57, according to a search warrant recently filed in Spokane Superior Court.

Three people spotted Carpo’s nude corpse March 9, 1989, near the bluffs below Palisades Park in Santa Monica and called police. Officials found a pair of underwear and part of a plastic fork in her throat, and a coroner ruled the 35-year-old died of strangulation, according to the search warrant.

Nearly 19 years later, DNA found on Carpo’s remains matched Jones’ entry in the national DNA database.

Jones has more than 32 local convictions, including drug possession, assault and probation violations, according to a 1997 Secret Witness report. At the time, Jones was wanted on four felony warrants, all for possession or manufacture of drugs.

Jones’ criminal record made him an easy catch for Santa Monica cold case investigators.

After learning his suspect was already wanted for a parole violation, Santa Monica police Det. Larry Nicols contacted the man’s probation officer in Washington state and asked to be notified when Jones was arrested, according to court documents.

That happened March 14. Jones is now in Geiger Corrections Center on parole violation and possession of narcotics with intent to deliver charges, according to jail records.

The search warrant filed March 28 allowed law enforcement to obtain a new sample of Jones’ DNA.