In the quiet town of Camarillo, California, a disturbing tale has unfolded, shedding light on the dark underbelly of a man whose profession as a plumber masked a sinister penchant for violence and financial exploitation.
Rotherie Durell Foster, a 38-year-old individual, has found himself at the center of a web of allegations that span multiple homicides, identity theft, and a brazen armed robbery.
As the details of this case continue to unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that Foster’s criminal activities were not isolated incidents but rather a calculated pattern of predatory behavior that authorities are now working to unravel.
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Rotherie Durell Foster’s criminal history dates back to his teenage years when he was sentenced as a juvenile to 21 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon, according to KTLA. Despite serving nearly two decades behind bars, Foster’s propensity for violence and disregard for the law did not diminish upon his parole in 2018.
Foster’s first known adult offense occurred in 2022, when he was arrested in connection with the murder of 35-year-old José Antonio Velásquez, a fellow plumber with whom he was acquainted.
Velásquez was reported missing in July 2022, and his body was later discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains, off Mulholland Drive.
Authorities allege that Foster used a firearm to violently and forcibly obtain Velásquez’s banking and financial information, which he then exploited for his own personal gain, purchasing gas, clothing, and food with the victim’s funds, according to the outlet.
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As prosecutors and investigators delved deeper into the case against Foster, they uncovered a troubling pattern that suggested his criminal activities extended beyond the murder of Velásquez. Authorities discovered multiple payments made to Foster from the bank account of 72-year-old Bill Dean Levy, a Los Angeles man who had been found dead in his Granada Hills home on January 10, 2022. Levy’s death had initially been ruled as the result of natural causes, but further investigation revealed that the payments to Foster had occurred the day after Levy’s body was discovered.
Investigators subpoenaed Foster’s bank records and discovered the suspicious transactions, leading them to exhume Levy’s body for a comprehensive autopsy. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently determined that Levy’s death was the result of fentanyl poisoning, a highly potent narcotic, and the cause of death was changed to homicide.
Authorities believe that Foster had performed plumbing work at Levy’s home on several occasions and used this access to target the elderly man for financial gain. The evidence gathered during the investigation, including cell phone data and license plate records, strongly implicated Foster in Levy’s murder, leading to the filing of additional murder charges against him.
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As the investigation progressed, authorities uncovered a disturbing pattern in Foster’s behavior, suggesting that his crimes were not limited to the murders of Velásquez and Levy. Investigators discovered evidence linking him to an armed robbery at a convenience store in Fillmore, California, in July 2022, where he allegedly tied up the employees and stole an undisclosed amount of cash.
Authorities believe that Foster’s criminal activities were driven by a desire for financial gain, and he appears to have specifically targeted vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly and those he had provided plumbing services for in the past. This modus operandi allowed him to gain access to his victims’ personal and financial information, which he then exploited for his own benefit.
In total, Rotherie Durell Foster faces an astounding 33 felony charges and over 100 special allegations, including first-degree murder, murder in the commission of a burglary, forgery, identity theft, and the intentional and deliberate administration of a poison. The breadth and severity of the charges underscore the gravity of his alleged crimes and the potential for significant consequences.
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As the investigation continues, authorities suspect that Foster’s criminal activities may extend beyond the known victims. Prosecutors and detectives have identified another potential victim from Woodland Hills, California, who was the target of financial fraud in December 2021, and they believe there may be additional individuals who have fallen prey to Foster’s predatory behavior.
The complexity of this case has required a collaborative effort between various law enforcement agencies, including the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. This multi-jurisdictional approach has been crucial in piecing together the full scope of Foster’s alleged crimes and ensuring that he is held accountable for his actions.
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