Overnight Homicides

Rowland Heights: A 21-year-old man of Asian descent was stabbed to death at a party in the 19700 bock of Sirius Drive in Rowland Heights at about 1:46 a.m. this morning, Tuesday, July 31. A second stabbing victim from this incident was transported to a hospital and listed in stable condition. The young man and the second victim were guests at the party, and were attacked by a group of other partygoers, who fled after the stabbing.

South-Central Los Angeles: Aldale Woodard, 27, a black man, was shot at 3400 W. 71st Street in LAPD's 77th Street Division. Two black men or youths on foot approached and shot him. He died at the scene.

Baldwin Park: A 34-year-old Latino man was standing in front of a house in the 14700 block of Olive Street at about 10:44 p.m. Monday, July 30, when a car pulled up and its occupants shot him. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

South Los Angeles: Javon Brister, an 18-year-old black young man, was shot in the chest by walk-up or drive-by shooters in the 600 block of West Century Boulevard near the Harbor Freeway at about 8:20 p.m. Monday, July 30. His companion, a 21-year-old black man, was also shot and wounded in the hand. LAPD Det. Mark Hahn said both were on a bicyle, one on the handlebars, when they were attacked. The pair ran, and made it not quite a block. Brister later died at a hospital.

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Left, one bullet hit the bicycle's handle, denting it. Near left, teddy bears and a half-smoked cigarette at the bicycle shrine.

Summer spike

The number of homicides in Los Angeles County has spiked sharply in recent days, a typical late-summer surge. For preliminary reports on Monday and Tuesday's deaths, scroll to the bottom of the weekly coroner's list below. Above, LAPD detectives investigate a Watts homicide scene Tuesday.

Victims, July 23-30

(The following sequence of posts is our weekly accounting of all homicide victims from all law-enforcement jurisdictions in Los Angeles County based on records from the county coroner's office, combined with information from police and street reporting. The list is arranged chronologically by time of death.

If you only read HR once a week, this is the most complete summary of victims and homicide incidents. Preliminary reports noted on this web page earlier are updated here. For previous coroner's lists going back to Jan. 1, 2007, see below, and the archives at right.)

Carl Young, 23

Carl Young, 23, a black man, was shot in front of 2730 W. 94th St. in Inglewood at about 11:50 p.m. Sunday, July 29, and died at 12:45 a.m. July 30.

Officers got a call about a shooting, and arrived to find Young lying on the street with multiple wounds to his torso. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Investigators believe a gang quarrel was the motive for the shooting, and say the suspects may have fled in a dark four-door sedan going west on 94th. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (310) 412-5246 or (888) 412-7463.

Oscar Rene Miranda Diaz, 45

Oscar Rene Miranda Diaz, 45, a Latino man, was shot at 51st and Main Street in LAPD's Newton Division and died at 11:44 p.m. Sunday, July 29.

He was sitting in a car with his girlfriend on 51st Street between Main Street and Broadway at about 11:30 p.m. The suspect pulled up next to the car, and shot a 9 mm weapon out the window. The  girlfriend, a Latina in her late 30s, was not injured.

A love triangle was at issue. Police later tracked down the girlfriend's previous boyfriend, Rafael Sandoval, 43, pulling him over a short distance from his home at 53rd Street and Hoover. Inside his car, they said they found a 9 mm gun hidden inside a sock and two expended shells. Sandoval was taken into custody without incident and placed under arrest on suspicion of Miranda Diaz's murder. Det. Dennis Fanning said that the girlfriend had broken up with Sandoval about two months ago and had begun dating Miranda Diaz.

Ivan Perez, 14

Ivan Perez, 14, a Latino teenager, was shot twice in the head at 1146 E. 58th Place, and died at 3:20 p.m. Saturday, July 29.

He was shot and killed by men or youths on foot in the 100 block of E. 58th Place in Florence at about 3 p.m. Sunday, July 29. He died at the scene; his assailants, believed by investigators to be Latino gang members, escaped in a car.

His family was reluctant to say much. Ivan had been in fairly serious trouble with the law and they expressed concern about how his life would be portrayed. But they vividly conveyed their grief. "He was a bright boy and we loved him very much," said his mother, huddled with family members in their small apartment two days after the murder.

Ivan was very tall for his age, liked football, was loving with his young brothers and sisters, and he had talked of wanting to get his mother out of her difficult circumstances, they said. "I tried to raise him on my own, but he needed a father," his mother said. She learned he had been discovered dead on the pavement some six hours after the homicide. She said she had not thought of funeral arrangements, nor viewed her son's body, preferring to think he might still come home. "I keep expecting him to walk through the door. I should let him go but I can't," the weeping mother said.

* Update: Sheriff's Homicide Dets. Angus Ferguson and Jonas Shipe have solved this case. Three Latino men, and one Latino teenager, 17 years old, are in custody, and a fifth suspect is outstanding. Investigators suspect they killed Ivan, a member of their own gang, because they thought he was a "snitch"--someone who had turned over evidence to police. He wasn't.

Thomas Christopher, 66

Thomas Christopher, 66, a white man, was stabbed in the chest at 314 South Alexandria Ave. in the Koreatown area at about 12:40 a.m. Sunday, July 29. He was taken to a hospital, where he died at 1:50 a.m. July 29.

The suspect, 22-year-old Victor Esparza, a Latino young man, fled down Alexandria but was caught by Rampart police officers.

Christopher was originally from New York. He was liked strongly by some, disliked strongly by others, said detectives who canvassed the neighborhood. Esparza was an acquaintance, and an invited guest in Christopher's home, Rampart homicide Det. Lilia Velasco. The two had quarreled, and Esparza had walked away, leaving Thomas wounded in his wake. Neighbors pointed out Esparza to police officers, who arrested him. Esparza claimed to have had earlier troubles with Christopher, and to have been wronged by him, but police could not confirm his account. Esparza was charged with murder.

Investigators were still trying to find Christopher's family members this week. Anyone with information on his next of kin is asked to call Rampart homicide detectives at (213) 485-2060.

Julio Ramirez, 21

Julio Ramirez, 21, a Latino young man, was killed in the same double-homicide as Benjamin Velasco, above. His time of death was listed as 7:01 a.m. Sunday, July 29.

The pair were shot by drive-by gunmen as they were standing outside a family gathering in the 15300 block of Hayter Avenue in Paramount at about 11 p.m. Saturday, July 28, said Sheriff's Det. Todd Anderson. Investigators believe the suspects may be Latino men or youths. They escaped in their car. Both victims were transported to Long Beach Memorial Hospital, where Velasco died at about 2 a.m. Sunday; Ramirez died five hours later. Ramirez had recently gotten out of jail.

Police are seeking help, including anonymous tips, from anyone who saw anything that night. Call Anderson or Det. Gary Sika at (323) 890-5500.

*Update: Sheriff's Det. Todd Anderson and Gary Sika have cleared this case.

Three men -- Luis Rodriguez, 24, a Latino man; his brother, Daniel Cowie, 19, and a friend, Irvin Heredia, 19, also Latino -- were arrested this week and charged with murder in the deaths of Ramirez and Velasco. "Gangs. Gang rivalry," was the motive, Anderson. "One gang is trying to muscle into another's territory, basically."

Another case was also cleared in the course of this one. Rodriguez has been charged in the killing of Salvador Avila, 19, at a fight at a Tam's restaurant in Paramount on June 24. A second suspect was also arrested in connection with that case. More to come.

Detectives seek additional information on these cases. Call (323) 890-5500.

Benjamin Velasco, 18

Benjamin Velasco, 18, a Latino young man, was killed in the same double-homicide that also killed 21-year-old Julio Ramirez above in Paramount. Velasco was shot at least once in the incident at 15323 Hayter Ave. He died at 2:17 a.m. Sunday, July 29.

Antonio Wooten, 20

Antonio Wooten, 20, a black young man, was shot multiple times at 1800 E. 54th Street in LAPD's Newton Division, and died at 12:57 p.m. Saturday, July 28.

This drive-by shooting near Holmes Avenue in LAPD's Newton Division happened at about 4:35 a.m. Saturday, July 28. Wooten died about 12 hours later at California Hospital.

* Update: Newton detectives have cleared this case. A black suspect is in custody.

Enrique Rincon, 44

Enrique Rincon, a 44-year-old Latino man, was shot multiple times at 12726 Crenshaw Blvd. and died at 11 p.m. Saturday, July 28.

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Donyah Giles, 23

Donyah Giles, 23, a black man, was shot multiple times at 11400 South Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles --west of the Harbor Freeway at Imperial -- at about 1 p.m. Saturday, July 28. He died at 1:38 p.m.

A man ran up to him on the street and shot him several times in the torso. Giles fell on the sidewalk and later died at a hospital. The suspect ran away across Vermont. Anyone with information, including anonymous tips, should call LAPD Dets. Dan Myers, Matt Mahoney or Sal LaBarbera at (213) 485-1385.

Jeffrey Nicola, 22

Jeffrey Nicola, 22, a white young man, was shot in the thigh, shoulder and torso at 801 N. Kenmore Avenue in the Melrose Hill neighborhood of Los Angeles--the hilly area north of Koreatown--and died at 1:20 a.m. July 28.

He was at a party--a tranquil and "square" party, involving alumni from local Catholic high schools. The party was at a vacant house thrown by parents who had allowed their daughter to use it for the gathering that night.

Around midnight, the dynamic at the party changed as strangers began trying to crash the gathering, said Rampart Sgt. Thomas Bojorquez. At some point, a conflict inside moved outside and a Latino man or youth fired many rounds at Nicola in the front yard. Officers responding to a shooting call found Nicola lying outside, dead at the scene. The suspect escaped in a car. LAPD Rampart detectives are investigating.

Regular readers of HR are familiar with the party-fight scenario for homicide. Take notice, urged Bojorquez, the Rampart sergeant: If you are at a party and the mood or the mix of the crowd seems to be changing, leave. If an argument breaks out involving anyone at the party, leave. If you are throwing the party and "you look around and you don't recognize the people at the party," call the police. "We are trying to get the word out," Bojorquez said. "When you lose control of your party, call us."

There have been at least 24 posts on this site since the beginning of this year describing murders involved in some way with parties. The following posts are just a sample.

Jose Carrillo

Jorge Santana

Fahad Ihsan

Eric Perez

Alberto Molina

William Campos

Jeremy Howard

Kevin Ramos

Richard Herrera, 23

Richard Herrera, 23, a Latino man, was shot multiple times at 3000 Baldwin Park Blvd., and died at 1:35 a.m. Saturday, July 28.

This case has been solved.

Velton Gates, 19

Velton Gates, a 19-year-old young black man, was shot multiple times at 4936 Stevely Ave. and died at 9:35 a.m. Friday, July 27.

Police officers found him shot to death at the mouth of an alley just south of Coliseum Street at Stevely Avenue in Baldwin Village. He was walking on Coliseum when his killers, several black men or youths, came upon him. They chased him on foot for some distance, ultimately shooting him at close range, before getting away in a car, said Southwest Det. John Skaggs.

The crime scene was crowded and emotional--"415," to use the LAPD lingo. People gathered at the police tape objected to Gates' body lying out in the sun, and some members of the crowd gave police some trouble, officers said. The crime occurred a short distance from the double-homicide that killed victims Scott Grant and Aric Lexing, chronicled by HR last week.

Jae Oh, 38

Jae Oh, a 38-year-old man of Korean descent, was struck on the head at 7851 Hillrose St. in Sunland, and died at 7:46 a.m. July 27.

An acupuncturist with a business in Burbank, Oh left his house in this quiet, residential neighborhood that morning to go to work, said Det. Pat Barron of LAPD Foothill Homicide. He got in his car, started it, but then was somehow pulled, lured or forced out. His assailant hit him on the head with what Barron described only as "a hard object." Nothing was taken, neither money nor valuables. A neighbor found him lying dead with blunt-force trauma injuries. His wife, children and other family members were inside the house, and came out to find him dead.

Lavone Smith, 25

Lavone Smith, 25, a black man, suffered a puncture wound to the torso while imprisoned at Los Angeles County Twin Towers jail at 450 Bauchet Street at 9:45 a.m. Thursday, July 26. He died at 4:59 a.m. Friday, July 27. Investigators said he told deputies he had fallen and injured his back on a bunk. Finally, the pain was too much, and he was taken to the infirmary, where doctors discovered the wound in his back. He was transported to a hospital for surgery, but died, apparently from very slow internal bleeding. He had been in some kind of scuffle with other inmates prior to reporting the injury, they said. Detectives are investigating.

Sergio Mendez, 34

Sergio Mendez, 34, a Latino man, was shot in a double-homicide that also took the life of victim Joseph Vargas, below. He suffered bullet wounds to the chest and abdomen, and died at 3:20 a.m. Friday, July 27.

Both men were shot in the 1500 block of Navarro Avenue in Pasadena at about 1:50 a.m. They were taken to a local hospital, where they died.

Pasadena police spokeswoman Janet Givens said officers got word of an argument that escalated into a fight. A suspect or suspects shot the men, then fled. Detectives later arrested three people in Covina: Jonathan Warren, 22, Diana Reyes, 20, and a youth or boy whose name was not released. Gang concerns were at issue, investigators said.

Joseph Vargas, 31

Joseph Vargas, 31, a Latino man, died in the same double-homicide as victim Sergio Mendez, 34, above. He was shot in the chest at 1539 Navarro Ave. in Pasadena. His time of death was listed as 2:26 a.m. Friday, July 27.

Raymundo Lopez, 40

Raymundo Lopez, 40, a Latino man, was shot multiple times and found at Chesnut and 28th Street in Long Beach. His time of death was listed as 6:55 a.m. Thursday, July 26.

Gerald Atlas, 43

Gerald Atlas, 43, a black man, was shot multiple times at 104th Street East and Avalon Boulevard in Watts and died at 12:25 a.m. Thursday, July 26.

Det. Mark Hahn of LAPD South Bureau Homicide said that investigators think Atlas died after he and a companion ambushed an armed security guard in the parking lot of a strip mall at 104th Street and Avalon Boulevard in Watts at about 11:40 p.m. Wednesday, July 25. Atlas or his companion shot and wounded the security guard, a Latino man in his 50s, who nonetheless managed to shoot back in self-defense, killing Atlas, Hahn said.

Police said the incident unfolded like this: The security guard was sitting in the front seat of his car pouring coffee from a thermos. Atlas and his accomplice, who appeared to be either Latino or black, came at him shooting, possibly in a robbery or a dispute, Hahn said. The security guard reacted quickly, pulling his gun and returning fire.

When the gunfire cleared, Atlas had suffered a mortal wound, the security guard had taken a bullet in the stomach and Atlas' accomplice had fled the scene. Both Atlas and the guard were transported to local hospitals, where Atlas died. The security guard was in stable condition, and is expected to survive.

Update: This case was ruled a justifiable homicide. No charges were filed.

Fernando Mora, 49

Fernando Mora, 49, a Latino man, was shot in the chest at Ninth Street and San Antonio Avenue in Pomona, and died at 1:38 a.m. Thursday, July 26.

Ricardo Balderrama, 18

Ricardo Balderrama, an 18-year-old Latino man, was hit on the head with a two-by-four in the 12200 block of Oxford Avenue in Hawthorne, and died at 12:05 a.m. Thursday, July 26.

A resident coming home through the alley found him at about 11:48 p.m., lying near the garage, bludgeoned and left for dead, said Lt. Gil Carrillo of the sheriff's Homicide Bureau. Perhaps he had been chased there. Earlier, people had heard dogs barking.

He was studying to get his GED, said Sheriff's Det. Mitch Loman. He didn't belong to the local gang, but was from the neighborhood, and in the past, had been menaced, picked on and burglarized by local gang members.

Anyone with information is asked to call Loman or Det. Steve Rubino at (323) 890-5500.

DeAndre Netter, 16

Deandre Netter, a 16-year-old black youth, was shot in the chest and the back at 5742 Golden West Avenue in Temple City at about 11:12 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, and died at 11:52 p.m.

Sheriff's Lt. Gil Carrillo said that Deandre was walking with his twin brother and a friend--a Latino youth--when a light-colored car moving slowly from the opposite direction pulled alongside them. With no words, no preliminaries whatsoever, someone in the passenger seat started shooting and Deandre was struck. Carrillo said investigators don't think the shooting was gang-related.

Update: Warrants have been issued for two outstanding suspects in this case. More information to come.

Moises Carrillo, 21

Moises Carrillo, 21, a Latino young man, was shot in the chest at 205th Street and Devlin Avenue in Lakewood and died at 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, July 25.

He was riding a bicycle, and someone shot him. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. More to come.

Gonzalo Martinez, 17

Gonzalo Martinez, 17, a Latino youth, was shot multiple times about 8:45 p.m.at the intersection of Chestnut and Independence avenues in South Gate, and died at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 25.

Deputies described this as a gang-related killing. Sheriff's Lt. Gil Carrillo said Martinez was on foot when a car pulled up and someone in it shot him over and over in the torso. Paramedics took him to a hospital, where he died.

Victor Lopez, 16

Victor Lopez, 16, a Latino youth, was shot multiple times at 14720 S. Cookacre Ave. in East Rancho Dominguez, and died at 10:55 p.m. July 24.

He was shot in the course of a carjacking just east of Compton at 10:17 p.m., Sheriff's Deputy Ed Hernandez said. Lopez was taken to a hospital, where he died. More information to come.

See Times story

Mark Gregg, 25

Mark Gregg, 25, a white man, was shot by Los Angeles Police officers in front of 1452 N. Martel Avenue in Hollywood at about 1:35 a.m. July 24, and died at 1:55 a.m.

According to the account provided by the LAPD, Gregg had attacked a male acquaintance in his building with a knife. The acquaintance was outside the home being treated by paramedics when police came. Gregg allegedly came out of the house wielding a butcher knife while advancing toward the officers and the paramedics. He ignored orders to drop the butcher knife, and instead raised it, police said. LAPD Hollywood officers Paul Razo, 30, and Minerva Mota, 29, both fired. Gregg was taken to Cedars-Sinai, where he died. His victim survived his injuries.

Gregg was a graduate of the University of San Francisco's performing arts and social justice program, said his father Robert Gregg. He had acted in stage productions, including "Hamlet." He was living in Hollywood, trying to launch a career in film.

Sammy Wong, 76

Sammy Wong, a 76-year-old man of Asian descent, was beaten and struck in the head at 617 Prospect Avenue in South Pasadena. His time of death was listed as 3:50 p.m. July 23.

Daniel Svoboda, 43

Daniel Svoboda, 43, a white man, was shot in the abdomen at 1735 W. Manchester Boulevard nearly seven months ago, and died at at UCLA-Westwood hospital 9:23 p.m. July 23 after months of suffering.

Svoboda was working as a security guard at a nightclub in the 1700 block of Manchester Avenue on Dec. 23, 2006. He had bounced out some patrons just before closing time, said LAPD South Bureau Det. Carlos Velasquez. Two Latino men came back at about 1:55 a.m. and shot Svoboda, police said. Two other people at the club, a Latino man and a white man, were also struck by gunfire in the attack. They recovered from their injuries. But Svoboda was "in and out of the hospital" for months with complications of multiple wounds to his torso, and finally died from those injuries, Velasquez said.

(This is the end of the week's Coroner's list of Los Angeles County homicide victims.)