Convicted child abuser committed suicide

A man considered a fugitive when he failed to show up for a jury verdict was declared dead by suicide in a report released by the San Diego County Medical Examiner on January 30.

Joseph Vincent McCarron, 58, was declared guilty of 11 felony counts of child abuse after a jury trial in November. McCarron had been at liberty on bond and failed to return to the courthouse to hear the verdicts on November 14. McCarron’s defense attorney was present to hear the verdicts, and then the judge issued a bench warrant.

A week later, on November 21, the San Diego County Sheriff issued a bulletin declaring McCarron an “armed and dangerous” fugitive. Sheriff’s detective Darren Perata reportedly stated that McCarron “was considered high risk because of statements of suicide by cop,” according to the January 30 report.

On November 30, the wanted man’s body was discovered in Carlsbad.

McCarron’s cause of death was “acute oxycodone intoxication,” according to the medical examiner’s report. The body was identified by a fingerprint.

“The decedent was found lying on the ground by a passerby who was walking her dog along the hillside of Calavera Park in Carlsbad,” the report stated. The body was found in the 2900 block of Glasgow Drive.

“Upon searching the area, a notebook with suicidal ideations was found in an encampment along with near empty medications.” The medications were listed as clonazepam, hydrocodone, and probenecid; these were said to be prescribed to McCarron.

The medical examiner stated, “I located a notebook with suicidal writings and daily journal that had a last entry dated 11/17/2013. At the top of the page ‘last note’ was written.”

The body was described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 165 pounds and “in moderate state of decomposition” with “maggot activity of the head.” It was noted that McCarron’s left testicle had been surgically removed “due to infection.”

The examiner stated that full body x-rays were taken that revealed no evidence of “significant acute trauma.”

The report stated that McCarron’s vehicle was found parked nearby, in the 3700 block of Jetty Point in Carlsbad. The car, a green Honda Accord, was said to be owned by McCarron’s brother. The deceased man’s last known address was reportedly on Rainbow Heights Road in Fallbrook.

McCarron was arrested in 2009 and accused of abusing two children of a woman he had been dating; but his first trial, in 2012, was declared a mistrial after the jury could not come to a unanimous verdict.