Man killed in Thousand Oaks
Victim fell from cliff
By Nancy Needham Nancy@theacorn.com

The body of a man who plunged more than 50 feet from a cliff was found Friday by hikers who were walking in the Arroyo Conejo, about a mile north of Rancho Conejo Playfields in Thousand Oaks.

The dead man was later identified as Robin Cruz, 29, of Newbury Park. He had no identification on his person when he was found.

A man looking for his brother at the playfield was able to identify Cruz when shown photographs of the deceased, said James Baroni, Ventura County chief deputy medical examiner.

The man who identified Cruz said the Newbury Park resident was originally from Guatemala. Cruz had gone earlier that day to the playfields to play soccer, a pastime he often enjoyed, Baroni said.

Cruz died of blunt force head injuries suffered in the plunge from the cliff, Baroni said.

His death is being considered an accident; foul play is not suspected. Cruz was thought to have been alone at the time of his death, the sheriff's department said.

No witnesses have come forward to explain how Cruz came to fall from the cliff, Baroni said. "He was reportedly drinking when he was last seen," Baroni said.

It will take about three months for toxicology results.

The medical examiner was transported to the remote area by helicopter and lowered about 200 feet with a cable so he could examine the body exactly as it was found, Baroni said.

The body was recovered at that time by helicopter.

The playfields at 950 N. Ventu Park Road near Hillcrest Drive include a basketball court, tennis courts, softball fields, picnic tables and a children's playground on a well-developed 13 acres, but the nearby terrain between Rancho Conejo Estates and Lynn Ranch is rugged and treacherous. One trail from the playfields is open to the public, but the other trails are closed, according to Conejo Recreation and Park District administrator Tom Hare.

In the past, Boy Scouts and others would hike the area and explore the cliffs and caves, but after some fatalities occurred, the area was closed to the public. It's patrolled by park rangers, Hare said.

"We would love to make it safe and accessible to everyone, but it's not in our short-term plans to do so," said Hare.