The Santa Monica man who was charged in April with raping a woman near Culver City and kidnapping a female UCLA student has died by suicide shortly before he was due in court, authorities said.
Alexander Schecter, 26, was reported by a family member as unconscious and not breathing at his family’s residence in the 800 block of San Vicente Boulevard on Monday evening, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Schecter was out on bail, with a preliminary court hearing set for Tuesday at the Airport Courthouse, according to court records.
He was arrested in March after he allegedly prevented a female student from exiting his vehicle, then threatened violence, according to the L.A. County district attorney’s office. During the investigation, authorities identified him as the suspect in a sexual assault case near Culver City from last October.
In April, he was charged with one count of kidnapping to commit another crime, one count of first degree residential robbery, two counts of forcible oral copulation and one count of rape, The Times reported.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office released Schecter’s name and manner of death Tuesday, police said. He died by suicide, according to the office’s online records.
Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmour said there was no indication of foul play.
Schecter’s attorney, Debra S. White, said in a statement: “This case raises a broader question about the Me Too movement. It brought necessary attention to sexual misconduct, but the pendulum has swung too far. An accusation can do enormous damage before the full story is known, particularly when prosecutors overcharge and speak publicly as though guilt has already been decided. Taking allegations seriously does not relieve prosecutors of the responsibility to exercise restraint, fairness, and respect for due process.”
Schecter’s family, in a statement provided to The Times by White, criticized L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman’s handling of the case, objecting to the statements his office released earlier this year. They also said Schecter had autism spectrum disorder and anxiety and said the evidence was “more complicated than the headlines suggested.”
Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional or call 988. The nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Or text “HOME” to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line.
