Update: Homicide in Fallbrook
February 13, 2024 – San Diego County Sheriff’s Department officials report that on February 9, 2024, at approximately 4:30 
p.m., deputies were dispatched to the report of a disconnected call for help at a hotel in the 1600 block of S. Mission Road in Fallbrook. When they arrived, they found an unknown adult male deceased. The Medical Examiner's Office determined the preliminary results for cause of death to be blunt force trauma and the manner of death was a homicide. The victim was positively identified this morning as 38-year-old Douglas Hardy.
Homicide detectives arrested 35-year-old Brian Francis Zielinski for killing Hardy.
Sheriff's Homicide investigators are working to gather more information to determine the circumstances and motivation behind this death. The investigation is ongoing. Any criminal proceedings, and comments related to such, will be handled by the District Attorney's Office.
To view the prior press release dated February 9 and February 10, 2024, click here and here.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (858) 285-6330/after hours at (858) 565-5200. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
Source: San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
Related: San Diego County Homicide Suspect Arrested After a Call for Help Leads to Body of Fallbrook Man
