Buena Park, commonly known as the Entertainment Capital of Southern California, is a scenic city in northwestern Orange County. And, the area certainly lives up to its slogan. Along the city’s E-Zone district, located on Beach Boulevard, are several tourist attractions that bring in over 4 million people a day. These include the world-famous Knott’s Berry Farm theme park and its sister water park, Knott’s Soak City. There are also a great number of restaurants, live music venues and upscale bars for visitors to enjoy during a stay. Aside from being a city known for its tourism, Buena Park is also home to 80,530 people, as of the 2010 census. Many residents love Buena Park for its close sense of community, beautiful scenery and increasing modernization. But, in 1992, Buena Park became a household name for a very different reason, when a horrific crime occurred that would send shockwaves through the city and create a lasting impact in California for years to come. 

Murder of Stuart Tay 

The Orange County Register referred to the infamous murder of young student Stuart Tay as the “honor roll murder.” Five teenagers that Tay associated with, mostly Asian-American men from wealthy families, believed he was planning to betray them in a planned theft of computer equipment. The teenagers then created a premeditated plan to kill Tay and officially enacted the murder on New Year’s Eve. The crime was particularly brutal, as Tay was beaten with a sledgehammer and also forced to drink rubbing alcohol, which led to his asphyxiation. The crime was completely shocking to residents of Buena Park, as most of the assailants seemed unlikely to commit such a heinous act. All five men were convicted and/or pleaded guilty. The crime was also very sophisticated, which caught the attention of news media almost instantly. The assailants made sure to use gloves so as to not leave fingerprints behind, and rehearsed the murder multiple times beforehand. 

Unfortunately, total crime rates in Buena Park are 32% higher than the national average, although more safety measures are being put in place as the population grows. Still, because crime can happen anywhere and to anyone, there is an increased need for crime scene cleanup in cities like Buena Park, California. 

What Is a Crime Scene?

A crime scene is typically defined as a tangible location where an illegal offense has been committed. A crime scene can be limited to one room in a residential home, or even span the entirety of a park or public street, depending on the extent of the crime. Once a crime scene is discovered, it falls under law enforcement control immediately and is sealed off to the public. Unfortunately, there is no specific time limit for when the crime scene investigation must be completed. If you are waiting to be let back into the residence where a crime scene occurred, you will need to hear back from law enforcement or the coroner’s office officially first. Although this waiting does delay the cleanup process, it also allows for law enforcement to properly and thoroughly collect all evidence present and accurately analyze the situation without public interference. 

Cleaning up a Crime Scene

Discovering a crime scene is a truly horrific experience for anyone, and can have a lasting, traumatic effect on the deceased person’s loved ones. In order to begin the investigation and start the healing process, the crime scene must be cleaned. Though most people presume that law enforcement handles this task, unfortunately this is usually not the case, and cleanup responsibilities get transferred to residents or loved ones. It is not advised for any one individual to begin cleaning on their own, as many biohazard materials may be left on the scene. The cleanup process should be left to a professional, experienced company with the proper knowledge, materials and care to enact the job correctly. The company should also be duly registered with the state of California, as it is otherwise illegal to operate. 

As a first step, a crime scene cleanup company will arrive with the right personal protective equipment, or PPE. PPE includes gloves, goggles and proper mouth protection, like a mask or respirator. The company will then begin a series of four steps: cleaning, sanitization, deodorization and restoration. Cleaning involves a thorough sweep of all blood and biological materials present, which must be eliminated immediately for health and safety concerns. Sanitization includes using medical grade sanitization chemicals to eliminate blood-borne pathogens that may not be seen to the naked eye. Deodorization will be enacted in the case that a body remained at a crime scene for several days before its eventual discovery. Lastly, the company will restore the area back to its original condition as closely as possible. This will return the area to a livable space and also help the extensive healing process to begin. Above all, a professional crime scene cleanup company should act with sensitivity and care through what is an extremely difficult grieving process for family members. 

Paying for Crime Scene Cleanup

There are several costs associated with cleaning up a crime scene that vary according to the extent of the task. If a crime was particularly violent or spread out across multiple rooms, it may take longer to clean and require stronger materials. The average rate for a one-room crime scene cleanup usually ranges from $1000 to $2500, but Eco Bear is committed to providing the most comprehensive crime scene cleanup at a reasonable rate. Eco Bear’s rates are $250 per hour, per technician. There is a charge of $200 for each red biohazard waste bin needed for a particular cleanup.