Serial sling shooter, 81, DIES at home five days after his arrest

The elderly man famed for terrorizing his quiet California neighborhood with his slingshot has been found dead in his home six days after he was arrested. 

Officers found Prince Raymond King, 81, known as the 'serial slingshot shooter' deceased inside his $640,000 bungalow in leafy Asuza, Los Angeles, on Wednesday.

Neighbors complained for years about their cars, windows and properties being smashed by tiny metal ball-bearings. Police arrested King last week after raiding his home and uncovering a slingshot. 

'Officers got the dispatch regarding a death investigation,' the Asuza Police Department told DailyMail.com on Friday. 'Upon arrival at the 500 block of Soldano Avenue they located King deceased and there was no signs of trauma or foul play.' 

It's not known whether King died from natural causes or suicide. Coroners are investigating the cause of death, the department said.   

Officers found Prince Raymond King, 81, known as the 'serial slingshot shooter' deceased inside his $640,000 bungalow in leafy Asuza on Wednesday 

When police raided the 81-year-old's home last Thursday, they found King with a slingshot and several metal ball bearings. 

'We're not aware of any kind of motive other than just malicious mischief,' Lt Jake Bushey from Asuza Police said at the time. 

'It's been ongoing for many years because we just didn't identify who the suspect was.'

Police began investigating after the first report in 2015, after some victims found BB-sized holes in their properties and others had whole windows shattered.

King, who was famed for terrorizing his quiet LA neighborhood with his slingshot has been found dead in his home (pictured) in Asuza, police have said. 

Residents plagued for a decade by a slingshot hoodlum in the leafy LA suburb of Azusa were shocked to see police raid the home of their elderly neighbor

Neighbors who had given up hope of an end to the torment were delighted to see police department's Directed Enforcement Unit swoop on the elderly man's home.

'I've actually seen him shoot the slingshot before,' one told NBC News.

'He's never shot at us or anything but a lot of neighbors, I couldn't believe that he was arrested by a SWAT team and stuff yesterday, it was pretty crazy.'

'Many times I would come outside and I would find like little BBs on the ground by my front door,' said another, 'so I'm very glad that the person was caught.'

Azusa Police did not reveal how many ball bearings had been recovered, but they said most of the shots were fired from King's garage and another location in the neighborhood.

Dozens of potentially lethal ball bearings were recovered in the raid on his home 

Police said the attacks originated mainly from the garage area of King's home

'DEU conducted a lengthy investigation and learned that during the course of nine to ten years, dozens of citizens were being victimized by a serial slingshot shooter,' they wrote.

'The unknown suspect broke windows, windshields and almost stuck people with ball bearings.

'Today, DEU investigators served a search warrant in the neighborhood where the incidents were occurring.

'Ultimately, suspect Prince King of Azusa was arrested. During the search, ball bearings and a slingshot were recovered from his residence.'

'They broke the back window of my husband's car, probably the same guy,' wrote Lupe Lopez in response to the police's Facebook post. 'His dirty hobby cost us $700!'

Residents told NBC they had suspected for years who was menacing their neighborhood

King was taken from Los Angeles Central Jail to Citrus Municipal Court on Tuesday where he was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of vandalism.

He was released on his own cognizance but barred from going within 200 yards of his own home except to pick up medications, and has been banned from possessing any weapons - including slingshots.

King had been due back in court on June 17.