U.S. man living in Baja killed

By Sandra Dibble, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 9:42 p.m.

A 49-year-old U.S. citizen was found shot to death outside his motor home south of downtown early Saturday. The victim, identified as Richard Berg Pontious, was born in Oklahoma and had lived in Baja California for several years, authorities said.

The man lived near the Baja Film Studios and neighbors there told police they heard gunshots at about 4 a.m. The man's body was found shortly after 7 a.m. and authorities found cartridges from a 9mm handgun at the scene, they said.

No arrests had been made by late Saturday. Authorities said they were looking into the victim’s contacts and means of support.

A spokesman for the Baja California Attorney General’s Office said the victim owned a half-dozen small fishing boats, or pangas. The man had a U.S. criminal record and was sentenced to 24 months in a federal prison following an arrest on marijuana sales and smuggling charges, Mexican officials said.

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