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Punk Rock Drummer Found Dead Near Anaheim Bar

ANAHEIM (CBSLA) — A local punk rock band has lost the co-founder of the group, and now homicide detectives are trying to figure out what happened.

mc memorial
A small memorial has been set up near where McCabe was found dead Saturday. (CBSLA)

Drummer David McCabe, 48, was found dead in the middle of the street in the 1500 block of Center Street Saturday morning, just around the corner from The Doll Hut — a bar he was said to frequent. The band was set to play a show there Wednesday night.

Bass player Fred Jones said his best friend was more than just the drummer of The Knightenders, the band they created two years ago. He was the heart and soul.

"That dude was like the nicest guy. If he didn't know, he'd give you the shirt off his back," Jones said. "If he'd see a homeless dude in front of a liquor store, he would go in there and buy him a cup of coffee or give him two bucks. Real generous down to earth guy."

Jones said he's known McCabe for two decades, and started to worry after McCabe failed to respond to a number of text messages Friday night and throughout the day Saturday.

"In my gut, I felt something was wrong," Jones said.

The owner of the bar said McCabe was at the bar Friday night with a man the owner didn't recognize, but McCabe's bandmates said they know the man.

Anaheim police investigators would not say if they had a person of interest in mind, but confirmed that McCabe's injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma.

A small memorial has popped up where McCabe's body was found. And as for the band's Wednesday night show, Jones said they found a drummer and will play in McCabe's honor.

"There's definitely an empty space in my heart right now, you know," Jones said. "I love that dude, man. I loved that guy so much."

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