Legendary surfer linked to killing released from jail

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A legendary surfer who once made his living cheating death by riding monster waves has escaped a possible homicide charge.

Kevin Reed, 58, who was homeless in recent years, was arrested on suspicion of killing another homeless man over the weekend in Santa Cruz, CBS San Francisco reports.

Investigators say Reed admitted to choking the victim at the scene. 

"These two individuals were known to each other," Santa Cruz police officer Joyce Blaschke said. "This altercation was very specific to the two of them." 

However, Reed, who also goes by the name Kevin Callahan, was released from prison on Tuesday after the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office announced there wasn't enough evidence to charge him. 

During his surfing heyday, back in the 1970s, Reed became famous as the first to conquer aerials. One of his maneuvers landed him on the cover of Surfing magazine in 1975. More recently, he was featured in a documentary called "The Westsiders." 

CBS San Francisco spoke with Bob Pearson, who calls Reed his friend. The two surfed around the world together for years.

"Who's the best? I'd have to put Kevin. Kevin was the first guy to do air – he did it five years before anyone else. What he did was phenomenal," Pearson remarked. 

According to Pearson, Reed fell onto hard times in the last three to five years and leaned on alcohol to get through it. 

Just two weeks ago, Pearson visited Reed and brought him one of his old boards that a fan had given to Pearson. 

"He was tearful about seeing his board, he grabbed it, he hugged it, took a few photos with him and my daughter and the other people around and he was stoked, then I went and bought him a bunch of tacos with his friends and it was a good day," Pearson said.

Pearson says his non-profit, the Santa Cruz Surfing Club Preservation Society, is going to discuss with its members how they can help Kevin get back on his feet and find a place to live.