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Murder Suspect Attempts Suicide By Jumping Off Cliff

RANCHO PALOS VERDES (CBS) — A possible homicide suspect is in critical condition Wednesday after jumping off an oceanfront cliff in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The man, identified by the Daily Breeze as 47-year-old David Viens, jumped from the cliff near the 31500 block of Palos Verdes Drive West about 9:15 a.m., sheriff's deputies said.

Viens is the husband of a Dawn Viens of Lomita, who has been missing about 16 months, the newspaper reported, adding that deputies had been following Viens shortly before he jumped.

He  is a "person of  interest" in his wife's "disappearance and likely homicide," the newspaper said.

Viens fell about 80 feet and was airlifted to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

If Viens survives his injuries, authorities say he will be charged with murder.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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