A UCSB student was found stabbed to death in the Devonshire area of Los Angeles this weekend, a few days before he was to begin summer sessions on campus.

According to Devonshire Homicide Unit Detective Joel Price, a motive for the killing of UCSB student David Alexander Deamorelli has yet to be established. The crime occurred around 12:40 a.m. on Saturday, June 24.

Police have determined that 26-year-old Deamorelli had left the Santa Barbara area, of which he is a resident, to visit a friend in Los Angeles. He was stabbed on Lindley Avenue in a high-density residential neighborhood that typically does not have much violent crime, Price said.

“As far as violence goes in that area, there are very few [occurrences],” Price said. “We do have property crimes…. This sort of crime in that neighborhood is unusual.”

While no witnesses to the actual crime have come forward, Price said a man passing through the area found Deamorelli alive after he had been stabbed. Although paramedics were sent for, Deamorelli was pronounced dead on the scene.

“He was discovered by a motorist that was driving up the street who saw him staggering,” Price said. “He collapsed on the witness’ car. The witness then directed him to the curb and told him to sit down…. He [then] called 9-1-1 and tried to render whatever aid he could.”

Price said the investigation into the death is ongoing. Detectives will be analyzing Deamorelli’s car, which they found near the crime scene, and will be questioning anyone with information about the incident.

“[Detectives are] interviewing anybody that knows David,” Price said. “We’re looking for anyone who has information about what his plans were that night, knows where he had been prior [to the stabbing] or knows where he intended to go. We will be analyzing any evidence that is recovered from the car. We’re still looking for anyone who might have seen anything.”

Anyone with information about the crime should contact the Devonshire Homicide Detectives at (818) 832-0532 Monday through Friday during business hours or after hours at (877) 529-3855.