After more than 30 years of incarceration and rehabilitation, 58-year-old Robert Tighe was released from prison and is currently staying at a hotel in Lake Elsinore.
Tighe was convicted of kidnapping and raping three women in San Diego County in 1979 and 1980. According to police, he abducted them at gunpoint, sexually assaulted them, and drove them to remote locations where he left them stranded.
Police went door to door this week, passing out more than 400 flyers alerting residents that Tighe is living in the community.
"It would be a little scary to know that, even though it's a long time ago, that he might have the potential to do something again," said resident Laura Schweiger.
It is against the law for people to intimidate or threaten Tighe. Still, some residents aren't comfortable with him residing in the area.
"If they were to come to my door and tell me that, I'd want to know exactly where he lived, and I would make every attempt to get him out of here," said one resident who did want to give his name. "He gave up those rights when he raped those women and dropped them off in the desert."
Not everyone agrees.
"He has rights, as long as he's living his life right, then he should have no problems," said resident Richard Harden.
Lake Elsinore police said Tighe has been extremely cooperative with them about registering his address.
"He has met all the requirements of his registration set forth by the law and at this point we don't anticipate any problems," said Lake Elsinore Police Chief Dave Fontneau. "But at the same token, part of that registration is going to be our officers are going to be watching and making sure that he does in fact abide by the laws we all have to."
Tighe first moved into an apartment complex with a relative on Monday, but police said the apartment's management told him to leave on Wednesday because they have rules prohibiting people with his criminal background from living in the complex. Tighe then moved across the lake and is living in a hotel for the time being.
