Woman last seen in Laguna Beach one of two murdered in Newport Beach
By Allison Jarrell | LB Indy
On Thursday, April 25, the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) arrested Jamon Rayon Buggs, 44, of Huntington Beach, for the murder of Darren Donald Partch, a 38-year-old former professional hockey player who lived in Newport Beach, and Wendi Sue Miller, a 48-year-old nonprofit CEO who lived in Costa Mesa.
The victims were found deceased inside Partch’s residence in the 2100 Block of East 15th Street in Newport Beach on the evening of Sunday, April 21, according to authorities.
At the time of his arrest, Buggs was in custody at the Orange County Jail in connection with unrelated charges stemming from an arrest by the Irvine Police Department. Buggs is currently being held on a $1 million bail pending double murder charges.
“This is an open and ongoing investigation and no additional details are available at this time,” said NBPD spokesperson Heather Rangel. “Anyone with information regarding this case or with information on the recent activities and whereabouts of Jamon Rayon Buggs prior to his arrest should contact Detective Rick Henry at 949-644-3797.”
NBPD initially received a call on April 21 at 9:27 p.m. requesting officers respond to the 2100 Block of East 15th Street in Newport for two people found deceased. NBPD responded to Partch’s residence and subsequently found one adult male and one adult female deceased.
At the time, Rangel confirmed that NBPD detectives and crime scene investigation personnel were conducting an active homicide investigation. She said the activity appeared to be confined to the location, and investigators had no reason to believe there was an ongoing threat to public safety.
On Monday, April 22, friends and family of Wendi Miller posted on Facebook that she was missing and was last seen at Skyloft and the Sandpiper Lounge in Laguna on Friday night, April 19. Friends and family wrote that she was driving a white convertible Lexus and after dropping a friend off at her car, she reportedly drove a man home that they had met.
After the Orange County Coroner ID’d Miller and Partch as the Newport Beach homicide victims, a family member of Miller wrote online that she had been shot and they were told that “she did not suffer.”
Miller was the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Wings for Justice, which aims to protect children in the family court system by creating awareness, providing education, and advocating to bring positive change. A GoFundMe page was created for Miller’s celebration of life, raising over $12,000 as of April 25.
“Wendi always had a smile on her face, she could brighten up a room with her presence,” GoFundMe organizers wrote. “The love and passion for her two children, Luke Carpenter and Cambria Carpenter, was amazing to watch. Wendi cherished and loved all her family and friends with so much passion…She believed in her mission to help others, that went through similar life experiences with an unfair family court system and no matter how tough life got for her, she always stayed positive, had a strong faith and never gave up! You will be so missed Wendi, but never forgotten.”
To contribute to Miller’s memorial fund, visit www.gofundme.com/wendi-millercelebration-of-lifememorial-fund.
