MURDERED MAN WAS ALWAYS AN 'UP' KIND OF GUY

James Carroll's Death Left Hole In Family's Lives

OCEANO - James Carroll will be remembered as the happy-go-lucky baby
brother who was always willing to help his family out, said his oldest
brother, Michael Carroll.

While there is a 16-year age difference between the brothers, Michael said
his 35-year-old adopted sibling was his "favorite brother" of his six
brothers and four sisters.

"He was always kind of an 'up' kind of guy," Michael recalled. "He liked
being around his family. Ninety-nine percent of the time we had a family
function, he was there."

It's been two weeks since police found James Carroll's body stuffed under
the crawl space of a home on the 2200 block of Cienaga Street in Oceano.
While the investigation is ongoing, police believe a drug deal gone awry
may have lead to James's death.

Jerry Via, 48, also of Oceano, was arrested the next day at the Cienaga
Street home where he was found sleeping.

An autopsy revealed that Carroll died from multiple blows to his head with
a blunt object. According to reports, Via said he was defending himself.

Michael said his family is holding up well since receiving the news of his
brother's death. A memorial service was held last week.

James had a history of drug abuse and run-ins with law enforcement. But
when James wasn't high on drugs, he was "a good kid," Michael said.

"If you needed help, he was always there for you," he said.

When his parents needed help managing the few acres they own near Santa
Margarita, James was willing to lend a hand.

Like some young people, James started to experiment with drugs,
particularly with methamphetamine. It was that morbid curiosity that
unfortunately turned into a 15-year addiction, he said.

"I think a lot of it was he had an addictive personality," Michael said.
"It just took hold of him."

Michael said his brother twice attend rehabilitation to overcome his addiction.

"The first time he didn't stay," Michael said. "He wasn't ready to help
himself."

Earlier this year, James enrolled in a Santa Barbara drug treatment center
again. He stayed at the center for five to six months, Michael said, and
was released about four months ago.

"He had been clean this whole time," he said. "He was really, really trying."

Before his death, James also embraced religion. And while his family
worried about his drug abuse problem, they always stuck by him, he said.

"Everyone kept in contact with him," Michael said. "Nobody basically threw
him out on the streets. He was part of the family through the good and the
bad."

A mason, James always worked, despite his problems, Michael said.

"He was not a slug," he said. "He was a good, hard worker, in very good
physical health. And he was fun to be with."

The family had never heard of Jerry Via prior to James' death. Michael
thought he might have attended school with him, so he scoured through old
yearbooks. He never saw Via's picture or name.

His father is angry and his mother is still mourning the loss of her son.
Other family members are looking for justice. Michael said all he knows
about what happened that night on Dec. 28 is what he reads in the paper.
He's reserving judgment until he knows more.

"I'm not a vengeful person by nature," he said. "I don't want to see this
go unpunished either. But I don't know the facts ... . It wouldn't be fair
to the accused until I find out the facts."

Via has been held in San Luis Obispo County Jail without bail. His
arraignment was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. today, according to the County
District Attorney's Office.

Michael remembers how he and James talked about getting together soon.
James wanted a motorcycle; building bikes is a pastime for Michael. They
never got that chance to get together.

"He's highly missed," Michael said. "He's left a hell of a hole in our lives."