On the afternoon of January 19, 2004, a scantily clad barefoot woman with duct tape hanging from her wrists and ankles pounded on the door of a house in the 13900 block of Sherman Way in Van Nuys, California, frantically screaming, "He's going to kill me, he's going to kill me!" According to police who responded to the homeowner's 911 call, the hysterical woman said she was kidnapped by a white man in the Rampart area of Los Angeles, forced to help him load a dead body into an SUV, driven to an apartment in Van Nuys, and forced to commit oral sodomy on him. Left alone when her attacker went to buy beer, she escaped her bonds and fled the scene. Police located the plastic-wrapped corpse of Edith I. Mejia, a 42-year-old mother of ten, in a Ford Explorer parked in the carport of a Van Nuys apartment building in the 7100 block of Costello Avenue. The parking space was registered to Paul Alan Ott, a 35-year-old Hollywood grip on films including The Breaks (1999), Michael Jordan: An American Hero (1999 -- made-for-television movie), The Puzzle in the Air (1999), Brother (2000), and Sueno (2003). Ott matched the victim's physical description of her attacker (bald, 5'9", 170 pounds, heavily tattooed, white) and police sought him for questioning. The man with a devil's head and the word "Otter" inked on his upper body remained at-large until the early morning hours of January 22, 2004 when detectives assisted by the FBI arrested the unarmed film grip after he jumped from the second-floor window of an apartment building at 7130 Hollywood Boulevard. Ott was charged with the knife murder of Mejia, the rape of the escaped woman, as well as the sexual assault of another woman on January 15, 2004, who stepped forward after seeing the laborer's photo on television.
At trial in May 2004, Ott insisted he acted in self-defense when Mejia, a casual friend, lunged at him with a knife. Jurors discounted the idea in favor of the prosecution's characterization of Ott as a murderer acting under a week long "drug-induced rampage." On May 11, 2006, the 38-year-old grip was found guilty of second-degree murder in Mejia's death and of the sexual assault of his escaped captive. The earlier sexual assault case was dropped before trial. He was sentenced to a combined prison term of 61 years to life (31 years for murder, 30 years for forcible oral copulation). "It was one of the sickest cases I have known," Deputy District Attorney Shellie Samuels, prosecutor in the Robert Blake murder trial said. "It's a sad case for everyone involved because [Ott] has two little girls, but I'm happy with the sentence." In July 2007, a state appellate court upheld Ott's conviction. As of March 2014, Inmate #F35486 was incarcerated at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, California.
I am still trying to heal from this. and maybe I should tell my side of the story so you can understand just how mentally deranged he was. at about 11 oclock at night on my dads birthday in jan 2004, I left my sonora building apartment to go to the store and buy a lighter. I wanted to hurry and get back because I had the place to myself ,my roomate had just went to jail so I bought my lighter and I left the store, I got to the middle of the block at 7th and union on the schoolyard side of the streeti started across and this new suv pulls up and hes flippin out about have I seen these two little girls. he turns the phone for me to look andnow he has my shirt collar in one hand and a gun pointed atme in the other talking about I had to get in and i could not get awayas I got in he said man I cant believe i found you you are hard to find. Im thinking oh god hes a wierdo, I dont even know this guy..........Iwill finish later
ReplyDeleteHay that was my mom
DeleteTell ur story
DeleteThe truth is you're a crack addict, you weren't kidnapped and there was no gun. Your side of the story and perjured testimony is a concoction of diabolical lies.
DeleteI love my friend your storey describes her is horrible you should be ashamed she was a victim and this story paints her in a bad light. She is a brave woman shame on you.
DeleteI like when anonymous people like you. October 9th 2021, come through with your lunch time. Rant about somebody that you don't even know
DeleteSomeone who didn't even know the person that abducted them, head no ties to this person whatsoever.
But ends up in the story Because the person was a deranged maniac and people like you who love to make people miserable, because you're either narcissistic, or you're just a hateful person who doesn't care about anything but themselves, I love when people like you meet somebody like him on their terms. And since you are so adamant about what you're saying
I really hope you encounter somebody like him. So you can see how it really goes. I can't stand people like you as a matter of fact I really can't. I can't even pretend you make me sick. You're disgusting vile piece of shit. That doesn't belong in the community. You belong locked up with him. Yes, for your views, you belong locked up with him.
The bastard had a gun The bastard was high on myth ankrak. I was not, I endured all of his torturous at a violence with the fear that I was gonna die. It's the hands of a sick deranged maniac while he showed me all of his kill flicks and talked about his wife and what he used to do to her when she was pregnant and how proud he was of that, but you know what? I'm a highly intelligent creature. That's what he told me. He said he couldn't believe How he felt about me? This is a sick motherfucker. He told me that we could have got married if he didn't do all of this shit and I just played along with them. Yeah, I played along with everything he said so that I would survive and I'm not ashamed of that because he didn't break me and now he's locked up. And that's where he belongs, and people like you just should stay out of the comments you're disgusting
Im sorry.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to never judge a book by it's cover? Everyone needs to learn all the facts, before taking a side. Everyone is so quick to assume before all the facts and details were out. Guilty before all info was out and released. I'm neither for me Mr.OTT or against Ms. Meja
ReplyDeleteI'm just saying .....
Crazy
ReplyDeleteI grew up with Paul in Santa Monica, I was friends with his brother Phil. Paul once handcuffed me to a fence and shot fireworks at me until my shirt caught fire when I was ten. He was always getting into trouble while ditching school or out at night. He came from a very bad home his father was an out of work truck driver and his mother was a do nothing stay at home drug addict. He was always in trouble, his father had attached bbq grills to outside of his bedroom window like bars to keep him from running away as he always did. He would steal clothes from the local laundry mat from other people after watching to see who's clothes he wanted. They were very poor. He was always an extreme person, always pushing things too far, he got off on the rush of almost being caught. He always was first into the fight and never backed down. Except when he tried to join the Marines and didn't last past basic training, he got kicked out and he said they were never gave him a chance and picked on him because of his tatoos. He earned some money modeling nude for mens magazines under the name "Tim Fox" and was always with a young pretty sleazy girl. Paul would hit on your girl right in front of you. He took to drugs as a teen and it seemed to fit his already aggressive unpredictable personality. Paul was an avid motorcycle rider, he loved motorcycles and rode hard. Paul also was won many bmx races earning a room filled with trophies as an accomplished competitor as a teen. Paul was a loner, I met him at 9 and saw him last at around 19 in the ten years I never saw him with any friends. He was an outsider, never part of any groups. He was a dark broken person who seemed to know it and was only a matter of time before something like this happened. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Crazy doesn't cover it.
ReplyDeleteI was married to him. You’ve hit all the right nails on the head. I barely survived ....
DeleteHey, I know this is a long shot- but are you the mother of his two kids? I'm one of Phil and Stacy's kids and if that is you, I think I only met you once or twice when we were little. Sorry if this is weird but I would like to reach out and see how you all are. I never knew what happened until later but we have almost no contact with the Ott side anymore. For the best in most ways.
DeleteHello there bro this is Phil on if you're my friend you'll tell me who you are because you're saying a lot of stuff that you obviously you know a lot about but you don't know the truth yeah you know all about the BMX and grills on the window that's all true but I don't know who you are I don't know anybody around that age that would know all those things that would say what you're saying Hollister Surfer did you mention that loaner I want you to reply to me at fill out 69 at gmail.com come forward to me I want to talk to you my brother's been in prison for a long time people do bad s*** s*** happens I'm not condoning it I don't know exactly what happened I don't think anybody really does it sounds pretty crazy and I have been living a life I wish my brother mad at him for things that you probably did not do I want you to contact me right there fill up 69 at gmail.com I'll give you my phone number if you want I live in Oklahoma right now and I'll be interested to find out who this is that's slander my mother and my father for my mom never did drugs nor did my father talk to you being out of work truck driver give me news out of work truck owner you know a lot but you don't know anything so you need to contact me but if I find out who you are I'm going to give you a visit for slandering my family like that it's one thing or my brother did but you're talking about s*** like you know what you're talking about my mom and dad never did drugs they probably needed to he needed to smoke some damn pot and have a drink I don't think that's cool I smoke pot and I still do I never took up drinking don't care for it I please come forward cuz I'm going through with my mom and I have no idea what you could be to be that close and to be that close and be so ill-informed
DeleteTo the X-wife...DON'T BOTHER TRYING TO BE THE VICTIM HERE!! I've seen letters written from you...Your drug addicted habits were part of the problem. Be accountable for your own mistakes!
DeleteTo Westside Local: GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!
DeleteAND JUST FOR THE RECORD X-WIFE...Your letters are quite the contrary!!! If you need me to publish them here I will!!
DeleteRemember Paul had to quickly get a Recon helmet tattoo to cover the green beret on the skull tattoo on his shoulder when he joined the Marines. Green berets are in the Army, he had to get a Marine Recon helmet tattoo replacement and the Marines wouldn't let it go. That's what I know.
DeleteHello there Eddie was my cousin Ed raised my best wasn't is my best friend still to this date I'm 52 years old I don't know you I knew Erica I never met any cousin where you from and what makes you think you know anyting about my family what you mean who is say that you're not a Christian at all hey you might have f***** up bad but what gives you the right to say something like that I want you to come forward and contact me at 69 at gmail.com let's talk about this any cousin who could just possibly be
ReplyDeleteNobody is slandering anything Phillip. It's me. I was remembering what I saw. I was in the Midnight Monsters with Paul and Davilt. Craig drove us around in the orange van at night and we would cause mischief, things like putting firecrackers in Donalds mailbox at 2:00 am. I also carried Phillip home from a motorcycle wreck on Sunset blvd in the Palisades on the same night Francis crashed his motorcycle in the the creek at Tuna canyon. Jeez if you don't know who this is we are far from where we once were. Remember the watch. We worked at the same jobs at the Wilshire theater and Safe and Sound. I was there when you smashed your tooth with a hammer building a tree house on Hill street next to your grandparents house. As far the drugs, I never saw Craig and Donna do drugs I just thought that because they lost their house on Ocean Park, my bad, I take that back. I liked Craig and Donna they were cool people. As far as out of work truck driver I said that because Craigs truck was always parked at Pennmar getting parking tickets. I wasn't bashing or trying to say nasty things. I had a lot of memories with the two of you. Remember Paul crashing the CR80 with Brett on the back? Lastly, best memory was Paul and Phillip riding a tandem bicycle off of a diving board into a swimming pool and keep riding. As far as Slander?! I have worked at six different law offices over the last 25 years, I am always ready.
ReplyDeleteWe used to swipe food from One Life Food Store on Main st when we were 11 years old. Remember the Carob ice cream?
DeleteHey Phil. X wife here. Almost didn’t respond. But why should I stay silent. That’s how people like your brother get away with shit for so long. You weren’t spouting this crap when you were rambling nonsense in my inbox you lunatic. So what if I wrote your brother 10 years ago. Looking for closure. Hoping for acknowledgment. An apology. Fucking something. All I did was share where I was in life, to my recollection, as honestly as I could. It’s a little blurry because none of it was real. I only wanted something he can’t give. The truth. He spouted finding Jesus then lied and lied. So I stopped responding. None of those letters said I love you or miss you. I may have wished him well. At most. Big deal. At the end of the day. I tried to move on. Tried to forgive. Enjoy my new life as your aunt put it. But the reality is, this is the same life, and extension of that one, and I carry all that bullshit still. Your brother was horrible. Crack or no crack. He did despicable things to me. Tried to drive off a cliff with me and our 2 month old daughter in the car. Made “the baton of will” out of a broom stick to tie me to for his pleasure. Held me hostage for 2 days until he finally passed out on the bathroom floor and I ran. So yes, after I finally left, drugs made it all go away. I’m now 18 years clean. Still working on me. And my kids… they are amazing. And Im a bit tired of feeling silenced by the likes of you. You’re right, there are facts no one knows because people like you come around puffing your chest out on his behalf every time someone like me speaks up. There is a reason he preyed on the woman he did. Who would believe them? I don’t know who he is today and I could give a fuck. And you, with all your false bravado, challenging everyone in this thread, you seem to need just as much therapy as the rest of us drug addicts. I have some referrals if you are interested.
ReplyDeleteHi C. It’s been a long time. I was a grip friend of Paul. I’m glad you got out and got clean. I’m glad that your two wonderful daughters are safe. I’m sorry he couldn’t stay clean. I’m sorry he had demons. I’m glad you got safety. Stay strong.
DeleteHey A. Phil and Stacy’s daughter. It’s me. Not a long shot at all. Long time sweet girl. I haven’t send you soooo many years and wow! A lifetime has happened since then. You are 2 months older than our oldest. I’m sorry for the way I spoke to your father, for your sake, but not that I did it. I wish we could connect, but you see what has happened over a small comment in old article. I really hope you and your mom and sister (you have a sister, correct) are doing well and know all the joy and blessings life has to offer. May God show you his grace and favor. Always. Love, Me.
ReplyDeleteTo all of you who believe that Paul ott, should get a break well for your information I raise my sister's daughter that he murdered she asked a lot about her mother to know I sat there a whole year maybe 2 years listening to the case him saying it was an accident how is it an accident when you strangled her then you stabbed her in the heart what kind of f****** joke is that my girl always ask about my sister I sat there and hurt the whole story from his sad ass I have no pity for him and I doubt that our heavenly father will give him Mercy he never gave him the right to kill my sister I don't wish that on anybody
ReplyDeleteI was in the building they found him in. My landlord let my roommate and I see the space he had been squatting in till the FBI found him. It was an insane day to say the least. There was gun fire. It was nuts.
ReplyDeleteI was told that when they caught him, he jumped out the window and hurt himself and so I was smiling and I was saying good now he gets to be processed while he's hurt because he deserved that he was a monster. I don't care how you put it. There's nothing that anybody could ever tell me good about this man. Because anything that this man had good inside of him Was a fake disguise That helped him gain access to people to do horrendous things to them.
DeleteYou were very lucky if you knew this man and he never did anything wrong to you. The reason why he had his girlfriend killed was because she witnessed him shoot a cop him and his buddy. So you go figure out what she did wrong. She didn't do anything wrong for him to do that to her. And I don't care if they were smoking, crack or not? Drugs don't make people monsters. People make people monsters, drugs just amplifies that monster within
He should have never been around people. Ever He should have been locked app a long time ago. When you got out of the military
Because according to him, he was a seal and some of the things he explained that they had to do or horrific, and if they're really doing those kinds of things in the military, they should be annihilated. The sick mind of this man doesn't belong near society
Hello, can anyone tell me what apartment number it was? Currently living in the building and just learned of this. Thanks.
ReplyDelete