Police confirm murder-suicide link

Foster City police confirmed Saturday that a man who committed suicide outside of a San Carlos gun shop last month is suspected of killing a disabled Foster City man whose body was discovered a day after the murder-suicide.

Timothy Singler, 41, of Redwood City, fatally shot himself Jan. 24 outside of Imbert & Smithers, Inc., a San Carlos gun shop located at 1144 El Camino Real. Police said Singler asked to see a gun, loaded it with his own ammunition he bought at the store Monday and went outside where he shot himself.

Though police identified Singler as a possible suspect in the slashing death of Brandon Hepponstal, 50, within a day of discovering the crime, officers held back on publicly reporting the link. The Daily Journal confirmed police were investigating the link Jan. 27 and reported it one day later.

The official confirmation was delayed until the San Mateo County Crime Lab could test forensic evidence found at the homicide scene. Police said Saturday that a DNA test of blood found in Hepponstal’s home located at 897 Lurline Drive placed Singler at the scene. A source close to the investigation said Singler left a bloody handprint at the scene and had cut himself in the vicious attack in which Hepponstal was sliced numerous times with a knife while in his bed.

Hepponstal’s friend identified Singler as the man who came to Hepponstal’s door on Jan. 23, a day before the homicide. During that visit, Singler allegedly tried to obtain drugs from Hepponstal, but police said Hepponstal told Singler he had put those days behind him. Singler returned on Jan. 24 at 8:30 a.m., leaving the disabled man dead.

Foster City Police Capt. Jon Froomin said the suspect and victim were acquaintances who had allegedly shared drugs in the past but had not seen each other in several years.

There is no evidence that Hepponstal sold drugs in the past, Froomin said.

“I would imagine the suspect in years prior had either shared drugs or had some kind of drug relationship with Mr. Hepponstal. When he was told, ‘Hey, I don’t do that anymore,’ that may have motivated the killing,” Froomin said.

Singler’s family told police that Singler suffered from psychological problems, Froomin said. Next week police plan to examine the details of the forensic report and wrap up the case, Froomin said.

Hepponstal, a paraplegic, had a storied history and spent most of his time placing bets on horses at the Pleasanton wagering facility at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. He used to hang out at Bay Meadows race track in San Mateo until he was banned from returning after bringing a fake bomb in 1999. He was arrested and later charged for making a false bomb threat and being under the influence of cocaine, according to court records.

The homicide was the first in Foster City since 1996. In that case, which remains unsolved, 25-year-old Hien Trung Duong of Hayward was found stabbed to death on the San Mateo County fishing pier.