Southern California man arrested in cold case murder 41 years later

A Southern California man was arrested in connection with a Newport Beach murder that occurred 41 years ago.

Michael Larry Manatt, 70, of Huntington Beach, was taken into custody on Friday by police. 

He is accused of murdering Ronald Gaskey, who was found dead in his Newport Beach home on Dec. 13, 1983.

Gasket, who was 35 years old at the time, was a construction worker who lived on the 400 block of Lugonia Street. His ex-girlfriend was asked to check on him when he failed to show up for work at a Hollywood construction site, according to the Orange Coast Daily Pilot.

The woman found Gaskey lying face-down in a hallway on the second floor of his home. He had been clubbed on the head and face with an unknown object. An autopsy later revealed Gaskey was hit once on the back of his head and as many as three times in the face, The Daily Pilot reported.

He died about two hours after the beating. Police said there was a smudge of blood on a door, but the house did not appear to be ransacked and there were no signs of a fight or violent struggle.

Loved ones and neighbors described Gaskey as someone who was greatly concerned with security and could be seen adding walls, trees and bushes to protect his home over the years.

His front door was found closed but unlocked by Gaskey’s ex-girlfriend when she arrived, police said.

Detectives later determined the killer was likely someone Gaskey knew, said The Daily Pilot.

"He was highly security-minded and it seems very apparent that this was someone he knew, someone he invited into his house,” said a Newport Beach police officer.

He reportedly had an elaborate alarm system and several neighbors told police it would be out of character for him to leave his front door unlocked. 

No murder weapon was found at the scene and no suspect was found at the time.

Over the years, Newport Beach detectives conducted interviews and collected evidence from Gaskey’s home, but a suspect remained elusive.

The case was recently reopened and after analyzing reports, studying evidence, and conducting additional interviews, detectives identified Manatt as a suspect in the homicide. 

On Dec. 6, Manatt was arrested on suspicion of murder. He is being held on $1 million bail.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Kyle Markwald at 949-644-3762 or kmarkwald@bpd.org.