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Man Dies After He's Left Lying in Vomit and Covered in Ants Following Violent Attack at a Storage Unit

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Photo by Beth Ponticello via Shutterstock

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A pair of assailants are now facing murder charges following the death of a man they allegedly attacked at a storage facility last weekend. Gary Haynes had been at the storage unit in the city of Orange Saturday night when he and a friend were confronted by two men who engaged them in a violent fight, according to KTLA.

As a result, Haynes was left at the scene to be discovered the next morning, "unconscious, lying in his own vomit and covered in ants," says his sister, who notes her brother "suffered a broken eye socket, crushed vertebrae, broken scapula and other injuries to his skull." Haynes died Thursday.

The other victim, who was struck in the head with a gun, managed to flee the scene. "He went to the hospital that night but failed to alert police that Haynes was still at the scene."

It's the second victim's inactivity that has Haynes' relatives upset and wondering why he did not seek help for Haynes, too.

The two alleged assailants, Steve Fry, 40, and Sandra Higareda, 41, were arrested, and have been charged with felony counts of murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Investigators believe Higareda and Haynes had once been friends, though the motive for the brutal attack has not been made clear.

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