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On Thursday evening, family members, community activists, neighbors and police officials gathered outside the apartment complex where 8-year-old Jasmine Sanders, listed below, had been fatally shot a day before. Candles, flowers, balloons and stuffed animals were placed near the stairwell where Jasmine collapsed after she was shot. Ministers led a prayer, then the crowd raised candles and sang "In my neighborhood, I'm going to let it shine." Seconds into the song, Jasmine's mother, Shadonna Kinney, 28, above in white, broke down. "My baby, my baby," she said before screaming. She was escorted into a building across the apartment. "Give her some air," a bystander said.
Inside, she cried and screamed for about half an hour before going back outside. Police Capt. Gregory Allen of the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Division, who was recently promoted by Police Chief William Bratton, told family members that the LAPD, the city and the community were going to come together to not only solve the crime but also make the neighborhood much safer.
At about 8 p.m. the crowd marched around the block, chanting "Stop the violence, increase the peace," and "Save our children." Residents peeked through half-open doors and through black window bars, dogs barked and children playing paused to watch the crowd pass.
ruben vives/LAT
On Wednesday afternoon, outside a liquor store in El Sereno, Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar and Los Angeles Police Department officials announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Jesus Guevara's killers.
LAPD Hollenbeck detectives said Guevara, 24, had just cashed his check at the liquor store, at 3327 N. Eastern Ave., and was about to enter his vehicle when he was shot twice in the back. Detectives said someone yelled something out and fired at Guevara.
"Let me remind you that the shooting happened in broad daylight," Huizar said. "Broad daylight and It happened on a busy street."
The liquor store sits between a meat market and a restaurant. "Please, we ask for your help," said Guevara's aunt, Maria Corona.
 At the conference Guevara, left, was described as a promising young man. He served four years on active duty in the U.S. Navy. In 2005 he assisted in the tsunami relief effort in Thailand. After leaving active duty, Guevara remained in the Navy reserves as a petty officer. Corona said he worked as a hydraulics engineer at Shultz Steel Co. in South Gate. Guevara's co-workers loved him, she said. Guevara was attending East Los Angeles College.
Shortly after the news conference, family members stood outside the store. Guevara's aunt and sister said he was always being encouraging. "He wanted everyone to do well," Corona said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Hollenbeck Dets. Jake Dugger or Araceli Negrete at (323) 526-3091 or (877) 529-3855.
ruben vives / LAT
After rising nearly 40% earlier this year, killings in the city of Los Angeles have fallen below last year's levels, according to LAPD statistics.
The Los Angeles Police Department said there were 204 killings in 2008 as of today, four fewer than the 208 slayings reported over the same period last year. That represented a 2% decline overall, Sgt. Ruby Malichi said.
-Andrew Blankstein/ LAT
Humberto Campos, 22, a Latino man, was shot during a dispute in the 11800 block of Arkansas Street in Artesia about 2 p.m. Monday, July 14. Campos was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Campos was standing on the sidewalk when he was approached by a Latino man. The two men began to argue, then the Latino man pulled out a gun and shot Campos several times.
A Latino man and a Latina woman were killed in a hit-and-run accident at Wilcox Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood about 9 p.m. Sunday July 13. The pair were declared dead by paramedics on the scene.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the man and woman were crossing Hollywood Boulevard when they were struck by a 2005 Honda Civic, allegedly driven by Sergio Delgado, 29, a Latino man. Authorities say Delgado was under the influence and was driving erratically and that a patrol officer attempted to pull him over. Delgado sped eastbound on Hollywood Boulevard trying to elude police and struck the pair shortly after, police said. Then Delgado pulled his car over near Cahuenga Boulevard and attempted to flee on foot, but nearby citizens held him until police arrived. Delgado was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Deshoun Kenyon Torrence, 18, a black man, died in police custody in Long Beach about 9 p.m. Saturday, July 12. Long Beach homicide detectives are investigating the incident.
According to a police statement, officers responded Saturday night to a report of a residential burglary in progress in the 600 block of Elm Avenue. In addition, officers were told that someone had been detained by residents at the scene and that they were screaming for help. When they arrived, officers were directed to Torrence. Officers reported that Torrence had sustained injuries, the statement said.
According to Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the Los Angeles County coroner's office, Torrence was struck with a shotgun butt. However, Winter said, the cause of death has not been determined, pending an autopsy. Winter also said officers had used necessary force to restrain Torrence. The police statement said Torrence became combative toward officers while being taken into custody.
Paramedics also treated Torrence at the scene, the statement said. Torrence was placed in the back of a squad car. Minutes later, after paramedics had left, Torrence was found unresponsive in the car, the statement said. Officers performed CPR on Torrence, but he was later pronounced dead.
The following posts represent the victims of homicide in Los Angeles County for the period of July 28 - Aug. 3, 2008
Keith Chrison, 50, a black man, was stabbed to death in the 4300 block of South Western Avenue near Jefferson Park on Sunday, Aug. 3. The L.A. County Coroner's office listed his time of death as 5:10 p.m. This homicide was reported by the coroner.
Carlos Iglesias, a 29-year-old Latino man, was stabbed twice in the chest during a fight at Olympic Boulevard and Hill Street in downtown L.A. about 2:40 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 3. Iglesisas' was taken by ambulance to California Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities said 26-year-old Carlos Cordova, a Latino man, was arrested on suspicion of murder.
A second suspect, Erick Colindres, 26, a Latino man, is also wanted for the murder of Cordova. Anyone with information can call LAPD's Central Division Dets. Thayer Lake or Jamie Bennett at (213) 972-1203
-ruben vives/Los Angeles Times
Aaron Patterson, 20, a black man, was shot and killed at 99th Street and Central Avenue in South-Central Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 2. The L.A. County Coroner's office listed his time of death as 3:30 p.m. This homicide was reported by the coroner.
-ruben vives/Los Angeles Times
Edward Satterstrom, 16, a Latino youth, was shot several times in the chest near Roscoe and Laurel Canyon boulevards in North Hollywood about 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2. He was taken by ambulance to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
On Monday, in the community room of the LAPD's North Hollywood Division, Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas, pictured above, and police officials announced the identification of Satterstrom's alleged shooter.
David Aranda Hernandez, 18, pictured right, allegedly approach Satterstrom as he was walking with a female friend, said police Lt. Alan Hamilton at the conference.  Hamilton said some words were exchanged, then Satterstrom was shot in the chest. But he managed to run to a nearby Taco Bell restaurant, where he collapsed, Hamilton said. Witnesses told police that a young Latino man, now identified as Hernandez, was seen running from the area. Hamilton said Hernandez, a resident of North Hollywood, may now have short hair and is still in the San Fernando Valley area. He said Hernandez is associated with a gang from Pacoima and may have been in the area looking for a gang confrontation. Hamilton added that Satterstrom was not a gang member.
"He is a good kid," Cardenas said. "He was a father figure for his six siblings."
Satterstrom lived with his grandmother in Sun Valley. He was a varsity football player at John Francis Polytechnic High School and wanted to go to USC to play football, his girlfriend told the Daily News. This is the second shooting involving a football player from Polytechnic High School. On May 31, Jesus Florian, 17, was fatally shot at a party. Hamilton said the investigation into that shooting is still ongoing. "In less than three months two students from Poly High School in the San Fernando Valley have been killed, Cardenas said. "This has got to stop."
Anyone with information about the shooting can call North Hollywood homicide detectives at (818) 623-4075 Update: A fund-raising car wash to help cover funeral expenses for 16-year-old Edward Satterstron will be held Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Brewline Coffee Shop, located at 1240 Truman St. in San Fernando. The wash will be held between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Coroner's office initially reported Edward's last name as Satterstron, but North Hollywood homicide detectives said the correct spelling of his name is Satterstrom. A school official also confirmed the spelling of Edward's last name.
-Ruben Vives/LAT
Jasmine Denson, 19, a black woman, was killed at a home in the 2400 block of Lincoln Avenue in Altadena about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2.
Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the woman was shot, then fell or was pushed out a window. Deputies arrested Tony Taylor, a 50-year-old black man, on suspicion of murder.
-ruben vives/Los Angeles Times
 Juan Abel Escalante, 27, a Latino man, also an off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, was killed in a drive-by shooting near Thorpe and Aragon avenues in Cypress Park about 5:45 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2. The deputy was declared dead at the scene.
According to authorities, Escalante was leaving his parent's home for work at the Men's Central Jail when a four-door vehicle approached him. Someone from inside the vehicle then fired several rounds, striking Escalante, authorities said. At a morning news conference, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said Escalante was in the process of buying a home in Pomona and that he was a U.S. military veteran. He was a father of three children. Escalante had at least 2 years of service in the department.
More on the Cypress Park shooting.
-ruben vives/LAT
Alexander Neal, 20, a black man, was shot and killed during a home-invasion robbery in the 24300 block of Burbank Boulevard in Woodland Hills about 2:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1.
According to a Los Angeles Police Department statement, the shooting occurred when three armed men kicked down the front door of a family home. "A family member in another part of the house was alerted by the intrusion and saw the suspects confronting his family," the statement said.
Authorities said the man armed himself and confronted the intruders. The three men and the family member exchanged gunfire. Police said Neal was struck several times and died at the scene. The two other men ran from the house, got into a silver sedan and sped east on Burbank Boulevard. Police described the outstanding suspects as two black men in their 20s. Police did not say whether any other family members were injured.
Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD West Valley homicide detectives at (818) 374-7730
-ruben vives/LAT
Gilbert Rodriguez, 23, a young Latino, was shot and killed in the 1127 12th Street in San Pedro on Aug. 1. The L.A. County coroner listed his time of death as 3:15 a.m.
This homicide was reported by the coroner.
Jesse Moore, 56, a black man, was shot and killed by police officers at Central Avenue and Wilde Street about 10:20 p.m. in Downtown Los Angeles Thursday, July 31.
Below, the Los Angeles Police Department's press statement regarding the shooting:
"Suspect being investigated for a narcotics violation attacked officers with a knife.
On Thursday, July 31, 2008, uniformed officers assigned to Central Bureau Safer City Detail were patrolling in the area of Central Avenue and Wilde Street. At about 10:20 p.m., the officers saw a narcotics suspect that had concealed himself in a tent on the sidewalk. As the officers approached the suspect to conduct their interview, the suspect lunged at one of the officers with a knife. Officers, Brian Indreland and Thomas Denton fired their handguns at the suspect in defense of their lives.
The suspect, identified as Jesse Moore, 56, was struck by the gunfire and was taken into custody.
Moore was taken to a local hospital for treatment where he died.
Officer Brian Indreland has been with the Department for 3 years and 10 months and Officer Thomas Denton has 2 years and 3 months of service.
Neither officer was injured during the incident.
Force Investigation Division is handling the investigation."
Adolfo Vazquez, 17, a young Latino, was fatally shot in the head in the 5500 block of Everett Avenue in Maywood Wednesday, July 30. The L.A. County Coroner's office listed Vazquez' time of death as 1:18 p.m. Detectives with the L.A. County Sheriff's homicide bureau are investigating.
 Pamela Fayed, 45, a white woman, was fatally stabbed during an assault at 1875 E. Century Park in Century City about 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 28.
According to Sgt. Ruby Malachi of the Los Angeles Police Department, Fayed, who lived in Ventura County, was on the third floor of a parking structure, when a man approached her and stabbed her several times in the neck. Witnesses told police that they heard the woman screaming for help. At least two doctors and a bystander went to her aide, Malachi said. Fayed was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The suspect was described as a slender man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. He was last seen driving from the parking lot in a red sport-utility vehicle. "We're still early into the investigation," Malachi said. The parking lot is surrounded by several high-rise buildings and is around the corner from Fox Studios and Beverly Hills. There is only one main entrance to the parking lot, and drivers usually must pay before exiting. More on the Century City stabbing in the Los Angeles Times.
(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, July 28 -Aug. 3, 2008.)
-ruben vives/LAT
A Los Angeles judge today sentenced Helen Golay, 77 and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing two homeless men in staged hit-and-run accidents to collect $2.8 million in life insurance. The two women were convicted in April on two counts of murder and conspiracy to murder for financial gain in the killings of Kenneth McDavid, 50, and Paul Vados, 73, both pictured left. Times staff writer Victoria Kim reports more on the trial.
 Cynthia Vargas was a high school dropout. Still, she promised her family that she would do something with her life.
She enrolled at United Education Institute (UEI) to become a medical assistant. Her test scores averaged between 85% to 95%, according to her older sister, Evelyn Vargas, 21.
Eight days before graduating from UEI, Vargas, 20, was shot in the back of the head in the 12700 block of 58th Street in Huntington Park about 1 a.m. Sunday, June 1.
Evelyn Vargas said she was on her way to pick up her younger sister for breakfast when she spotted police cars and yellow tape. She thought nothing of it. "It should have hit me," Evelyn said. "Everybody should have been outside, but no one one was around, so I thought she was inside."
An hour later, Evelyn Vargas said she drove back to the crime scene. She told an officer that her sister had been in the area and that she hadn't arrived home. An officer took down her information and told her he would call upon locating her sister.
Later, she got a phone call from the police. They said her younger sister was at St. Francis Medical Center. At the hospital, doctors told the family that Vargas had been declared brain dead but was kept on life support because she was an organ donor. Evelyn Vargas said she walked to her sister's bed. She said her sister's face was swollen; blood flowed from her nose, eyes and ears, she recalled in a phone interview. She said her sister's hair was stiff with dried blood. "I thought I was hallucinating," she said.
Detectives told the family they had arrested a 16-year-old Latino youth on suspicion of murder. For the family, it was no longer about who had shot Vargas, but whether she knew the shooting was about to happen. Occasionally, Evelyn Vargas spends her time in her sister's old room, expecting her to come home. She said she tries to take comfort in knowing that her sister's donated organs are helping others. "Someone will have her heart, her lungs. It's good that she's going to help," she said. "In her own way she accomplished a lot."
On Wednesday morning, outside the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division, homicide detectives and City Councilman Eric Garcetti announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrests of Diego Cruz's killers. Above, Cruz's father, Martimiano Cruz, 38, speaks with reporters about his son.
According to authorities, 14-year-old Diego Cruz was on his way to a Sears store on Santa Monica Boulevard about 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve when he was shot. Cruz collapsed in front of the store.
"It's been difficult," his father said. "Sometimes I don't sleep much because I'm up thinking: How is it that this happened to my son?"
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Hollywood detectives at (213) 972-2968.
The following posts represent the victims of homicide in Los Angeles County for the period of July 21-27, 2008
Larry Pierson, 46, a black man, was killed in the 900 East Holt Avenue in Pomona on Sunday, July 27. The L.A. County Coroner's office listed Pierson's death as 12:05 p.m.
-ruben vives/LAT
Jacqueline Contreras, a 20-year-old Latina woman, was stabbed to death in a murder-suicide in the 300 block of East Century Boulevard in South Los Angeles about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 27.
A Latino man called 911 and told the dispatcher that he had just committed a murder, said Officer Norma Eisenman of the Los Angeles Police Department's media relations office. Officers went to a converted garage of a home in the 300 block of East Century Boulevard, where Contreras was found lying on the bed with several stab wounds. Her boyfriend, a 29-year-old a Latino man, had hung himself inside the same room. Police took Contreras' two children, a 4-year-old and an 18-month-old, in protective custody. The children were also inside the garage, police said. The motive has not been determined, authorities said.
Initially, police reported that the woman had been shot. The name of Contreras' boyfriend was withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call South Bureau Homicide Dets. Kerri Potter or Mike Owens at (213) 485-1383. And on weekends at (877) 529-3855 -ruben vives/lat
 Adiel Quezada, 17, a Latino youth, was fatally shot outside his home at Avalon Boulevard and 139th Street, near Athens Village about 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 25.
According to a neighbor, Quezada had stepped out of his apartment and was in the parking lot when he was shot several times. Glass-encased vigil candles and two buckets of flowers were placed in front of the parking lot, where Quezada collapsed. ruben vives/LAT
Antonio Leanos, 21, a young Latino, was shot and killed in the 4700 block of Mascot Street Thursday, July 24. The L.A. County Coroner's office listed Leanos' death as 2:30 p.m. Homicide detectives from LAPD's Wilshire Division are investigating.
 Dominique Eugene Anderson, a 38-year-old black man, was fatally shot during a fight in the 8500 block of south Figueroa Street in Los Angeles about 2:15 p.m. Thursday, July 24.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Anderson was involved in a fight with the suspect in the parking lot of Manchester Place, a strip mall. During the argument, the suspect pulled out a handgun and fired one round at Anderson, who attempted to run into a discount store. Anderson collapsed in the doorway of the store and was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Officer Jason Lee of the Los Angeles Police Department's media relations office, the suspect was described as a black man with salt and pepper hair, wearing a vertical stripped shirt and a white shirt. Authorities said he was seen running east through the parking area toward Figueroa Street.
Above: Homicide detectives from LAPD's 77th Street Division start to investigate the shooting. Almost an hour later, a car accident occurs around the corner from the crime scene. Bystanders watching detectives then run off to look at the car crash.
ruben vives/LAT
Christian Portillo, 35, a Latino man, was shot to death by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy in the 11000 block of Dalerose Avenue in Lennox about 11:40 p.m. Wednesday, July 23.
Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Sheriff's Department, told the L.A. Times that two deputies were on patrol when they saw a man sitting in his parked car. Whitmore said the deputies approached the man and said he was "physically startled, agitated and reached under his seat." One of the deputies, fearing for his safety, fired his weapon, hitting Portillo in the upper torso, according to Whitmore. More on the deputy-involved shooting. Portillo was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. No drugs or weapons were found in the vehicle, Whitmore said.
Los Angeles County public records show that Portillo was convicted of driving with a suspended license, and more than 15 years ago he was convicted on charges of vandalism and bringing drugs into a prison or jail. The office of Independent Review and the Sheriff's Department were investigating the shooting. -ruben vives/LAT
 Jasmine Sanders, 8, a black child, was fatally shot in the chest at 249 E. 76th St. in South-Central Los Angeles about 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 23.
According to witnesses, Jasmine was playing outside with her little brother and other children behind an iron gate.
Witnesses told police that two black youths approached a group of male youths sitting on a porch behind a stairway. One of them, dressed in a white shirt and dark pants, fired a round at the group, but missed and struck Jasmine in the chest instead.
Witnesses said the force of the shot pushed Jasmine back against the stairs. Her mother came down and picked her up, then carried her upstairs into their apartment, where she and a neighbor applied pressure on her chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding, witnesses said.
Jasmine was taken by ambulance to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Residents at the apartment building said the incident marked the fifth shooting in the l ast week. They pointed out bullets from recent shootings still lodged in the gate. Around the corner from the apartment is John C. Fremont High School and a block away is the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Division.
The next morning, Jasmine's mother, Shadonna Kinney, 28, returned to the apartment building to pick up a few belongings. She addressed the shooters through news cameras that were stationed outside of the building.
"You senseless guys," she said. "Do the right thing; come forward, come forward, come forward."
Residents said the family had been living at the apartment for three weeks and that Jasmine had two brothers. Kinney said her daughter was enrolled at 75th Street Elementary School.
"She didn't deserve this," she said. "Somebody knows something."
Community activists have planned a vigil at the apartment building at 7 p.m. tonight.
ruben vives/ LAT
Joshua Rodriguez, 20, Latino man was fatally shot during a fight at Mulberry Drive and Ruoff Avenue in an unincorporated area of south Whittier about 1:49 p.m. Wednesday, July 23.
According to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, the Rodriguez got into an argument with another man, who belonged to a rival tagging crew. They began fighting. The other man pulled out a handgun and fired several shots, hitting Rodriguez in the upper torso. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information can call the sheriff's homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500. Callers can remain anonymous.
-ruben vives/LAT
Alcus Mallory, 15, a black youth, was taken off life support and pronounced dead shortly after midnight Tuesday, July 22. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Mallory was visiting his friend Elijah Larkin, an 18-year-old black man, in the 1600 block of West 65th Street in South-Central Los Angeles last Thursday. Police said Mallory and his friend were playing video games in the bedroom. Then, according to authorities, Larkin pulled out a handgun, played with it and fired one shot. Mallory was struck in the head. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital where he was placed on life support. Larkin was arrested the next day on suspicion of attempted murder.
ruben vives/LAT
Deon Collins, 21, a young black man, was shot and killed in the 1500 East 105th Street in South Los Angeles on Monday, July 21. The Los Angeles County coroner's office listed Collins' death as 1:20 a.m. LAPD's Southeast homicide detectives are investigating the incident.
Kevin Wicks, 38, a black man was killed by an Inglewood police officer in the 100 block of North Hillcrest Blvd. in Inglewood about 12:30 a.m. Monday, July 21.
According to a statement from the Inglewood Police Department, officers responded to a radio call of a domestic disturbance at Wicks' apartment. Police said officers knocked on the door, and Wicks opened it. "At one point while the door was ajar, the officers observed that Wicks was holding a handgun," the statement said. "Wicks then suddenly raised the handgun at the officers, which resulted in one officer firing his weapon in self-defense."
Wicks was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police said a gun registered to Wicks was recovered at the scene. Several residents say the officers were at the wrong location, but police said that was not the case. Hours after the shooting, family members, residents and community activists gathered outside Wicks' apartment complex to speak out against the shooting. Family members said Wicks worked for the U.S. Postal Service and had two daughters.
Police said they have placed Officer Brian Ragan, who's been with the department for 5 1/2 years, on administrative leave following the shooting. Ragan was also placed on administrative leave May 11 for the shooting of Michael Byoune, 19, Larry White 19, and Chris Larkin 21. Byoune died from his wounds. This is the second officer-involved shooting this month in Inglewood. On July 1, 23-year-old Ruben Walton Ortega was shot to death in an alley during a foot pursuit.
Times staff writers Joanna Lin and Andrew Blankstein report more on Inglewood's officer-involved shooting.
Also, Times staff writer Joel Rubin reports on Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton's proposal to change how he and his command staff deal with officers who use serious force during altercations.
UPDATE: Inglewood Police Department release radio transcripts of disturbance call.
Photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, July 20-27, 2008.)
Continue reading "Kevin Wicks, 38" »
More than 200 state and local police officers served more than 30 search and arrest warrants during a gang sweep in Compton this morning. The raids were a culmination of a seven-month investigation, called Operation Killen Court, that targeted gang members in the Mob-Piru clique of the Bloods. At least three warrants served were for murder, authorities said. Times staff writer Ari Bloomekatz reports more on the sweep.
-Photo by Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times
The following posts represent the victims of homicide in Los Angeles County for the period of July 14-20, 2008
Michelle Blum, 38, a white woman, was found dead in her home in the 500 block of West 3rd Street in San Dimas about 5 p.m. Sunday, July 20. Her death was officially declared a homicide on Wednesday, July 23, by the L.A. County Coroner's office. That same day, Elijah Blue Baca, a 26-year-old Latino man, was arrested on suspicion of murder. Baca was a long time friend of Blum and occasionally lived at her house, authorities said.
-ruben vives/LAT
Pablo Blanco, 22, a young Latino, was shot several times and killed in the 5000 block of Elizabeth Street in Cudahy Sunday, July 20. The L.A. County Coroner's office listed Blanco's time of death as 6:05 p.m.
Charles Banks, 33, a black man, was fatally shot in the 1200 block of East 99th Street in South-Central Los Angeles about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, July 19. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Detectives from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are investigating.
-ruben vives/LAT
Marlene Donaldson, a 36-year-old black woman, was shot to death in a drive-by shooting in the 1100 block of East 119th Street in South Los Angeles about 9:50 p.m. Saturday, July 19. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Officer Ana Aguirre of the Los Angeles Police Department's media relations office. She said a newer model Chevrolet or Poniac was seen speeding away from the area. Police are not sure whether Donaldson was the intended target. Authorities said Donaldson was attending a party.
-ruben vives/LAT
Andres Vazquez, 39, a Latino man, was shot and killed in the 13000 block of Gard Avenue in Norwalk shortly after midnight Saturday, July 19. According to Det. Angus Ferguson of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau, Vazquez and his nephew belonged to a local gang. He said the two men were at a dope house and were spotted by rival gang members. Ferguson said Vazques was fatally shot and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. His nephew was wounded from gunfire and taken to a local hospital, where he recovered. A suspect has been identified in the shooting, but Ferguson said details about the suspect were not being released yet.
Dieshelle Shande Prescott, 33, a black woman, was killed in a dispute in the 3600 block of West 59th Place, near Hyde Park, about 2:30 p.m. Friday, July 18. Prescott was taken by ambulance to Centinela Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to a report of a traffic accident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle. When they arrived, witnesses told officers that Prescott had not been struck by a car, but that she had been in a fight with another black woman, later identified as 30-year-old Shandanna Danielle Donegan. Witnesses told police that Donegan walked to her car, pulled out a broken broomstick and allegedly struck Prescott in the head. Donegan fled west on 59th Place but returned to the scene as detectives from the 77th Street Division were investigating. Donegan was arrested on suspicion of murder. She told police that she and Prescott were friends and had been fighting over a necklace. The weapon has not been recovered, authorities said.
--Ruben Vives/lat
Da-Shawn Johnson, 35, a black man, was shot and killed in the 5100 W. Jefferson Boulevard in LAPD's Southwest Division Friday, July 18. The L.A. County Coroner's office listed Johnson's time of death as 3:40 p.m.
Edwin Dewitt Holman, 46, a black man, was shot in an alley near South Street and Locust Avenue about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 17.
According to a Long Beach Police statement, officers responded to a call of shots-fired. Officers searched the area and found Holman in an alley with gunshot wound. Holman was taken by ambulance to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about the incident can call Long Beach police Dets. Mark McGuire or Hugo Cortez (562) 570-7244
William Kaddis, 64, a Middle Eastern man, was shot and killed during a family dispute in the 1000 block of South Crenshaw Boulevard in the Country Club Park section of L.A. The shooting occurred about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, authorities said.
According to a statement by the Los Angeles Police Department, Kaddis was shot through a metal screen door during an argument with his brother Edward Kaddis, 61, also Middle Eastern. Police did not say what the brothers had been arguing about. Officers who responded to a report of shots fired found William Kaddis on the ground with a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His brother, police said in the statement, barricaded himself in the house. A SWAT unit was called in, and after hours of negotiating, Kaddis surrendered. He was booked on suspicion of murder, the statement said. More soon. ruben vives/lat
Adrian Garcia-Diaz, 16, a Latino youth, was shot near Olympic and Plymouth boulevards in Mid-City about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 15.
Police said students from Los Angeles High School and neighborhood youths went to nearby Windsor Park to watch a planned fight between several tagging crews.
Witnesses told police that some spectators were filming the fight. During the fight a 16-year-old Latino tagger pulled out a handgun and fired one shot into the crowd, hitting Garcia-Diaz, authorities said. Garcia-Diaz was taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Several witnesses helped detectives find and arrest the suspect.
He was booked on suspicion of murder. Police did not release his name because of his age. Homicide detectives from LAPD's Wilshire Division are seeking the public’s help in obtaining any video of the fight and shooting. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Wilshire Homicide Det. John Shafia at (213) 473-0446.
Christopher Sloan, 22, a young black man, was shot in the 2400 block of East 108th Street in Willowbrook about 5 p.m. Monday, July 14. Sloan was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities said the shooter, a Latino man, walked out of an alley behind the home and began shooting at Sloan. The motive for the shooting is still unknown. See dispatch.
-ruben vives/lat
(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, July 14-20, 2008.)
The following posts represent the victims of homicide in Los Angeles County for the period of July 7-13, 2008
Kimberly Bonds, 19, a young black woman, was shot at 13111 S. San Pedro St. in Athens Village about 4:15 p.m. Sunday, July 13. Homicide detectives from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department are investigating the shooting.
Lindon Barrett, a 46-year-old black man, was found dead in his apartment in the 100 block of West 5th Street in Long Beach about 9 a.m. Sunday, July 13.
According to Long Beach police, Barrett was found dead in his apartment when officers were responding to call about a foul odor coming from an apartment unit. Police said Barrett had been dead for several weeks. Homicide detectives were called because Barrett's death appeared suspicious. During the investigation, detectives discovered his car was missing. The vehicle was later found at Paramount Boulevard and South Street, police said. The Career Criminal Apprehension Team, a unit that specializes in sting operations, was called in to assist. A man, later identified as Marlon Martinez, 20, was arrested upon returning to the vehicle. Martinez was booked on suspicion of murder, police said. Police said Barrett and Martinez were acquaintances.
Barrett was an English professor at UC Riverside, specializing in African American studies. He had earned his doctorate in English at the University of Pennsylvania and specialized in 19th century and early 20th century African American literature and culture. Barret was working on a book on slavery's central role in the evolution of Western modernity, according to a statement from Katherine Kinney, chairwoman of UC Riversides' English department.
Israel Ortiz-Santos, 31, a Latino man, was stabbed to death 9229 North Sepulveda Boulevard in North Hills on Saturday, July 12. The L.A. County Coroner listed Ortiz-Santos' death as 10:33 a.m. LAPD's Mission homicide detectives are investigating.
 Lucy Preciado, 26, a Latina woman, was stabbed to death during a domestic dispute in the 4100 block of West Avenue L in Lancaster about 2 a.m. Saturday, July 12. Paramedics pronounced Preciado dead at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Preciado was found dead inside her home. She was stabbed by a large sword, possibly in front of h er four children, who were inside the house when deputies arrived.
Detectives from the Sheriff's homicide bureau sought the public's help in locating Preciado's 28-year-old Latino boyfriend, Jesus Humberto Canales, at right. Authorities said Canales is wanted for questioning in the alleged stabbing of Preciado.
Authorities said Canales is driving a 2002 bronze GMC Safari van with a California license plate 6CBY663. Authorities said Canales is considered to be armed  and dangerous.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sheriff's homicide bureau detectives at (323) 890-5500.
Update: Lucy Preciado is 26 years of age. Her boyfriend, Jesus Humberto Canales, is 28 years of age, according to a news report.
Steven Benavides, 19, a young Latino, was shot in a drive-by shooting in the 5300 block of Huntington Drive, near Poplar Street, in El Sereno about 1 p.m. Thursday July, 10.
Benavides was standing or walking when a car pulled up next to him, police said. A man with a covered face, stepped out of the car, approached Benavides and asked him "Where are you from?" Then shot Benavides in the upper torso, police said. Benavides was taken by ambulance to County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Detectives from LAPD's Hollenbeck Division said Benavides was a member of a gang that is currently involved in a feud with another gang.
Benavides was several hours from turning 20. His birthday was July 11, 1988.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call LAPD Hollenbeck homicide detectives at (323) 266-7734. Callers can remain anonymous.
Angel Baeza, a 48-year-old man, was found dead in a dumpster in the 14400 block of Corby Avenue in Norwalk about 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, July 8.
Los Angeles County firefighters responded to a call of a fire in a trash container, said Deputy Oscar Butao of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. When the firefighters extinguished the flames, they discovered the body inside the Dumpster, Butao said. Homicide detectives with the L.A. County Sheriff's homicide bureau are investigating. The L.A. County Coroner's office was unable to determine the man's ethnic background.
 Joshua Ford, 25, a black man, was sitting inside his parked car outside his home in Compton when he was shot multiple times.
Deputy Denise Fuchs of the L.A. County Sheriff's Headquarters said the shooting occurred shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of North Rose Avenue. She said a silver Mercedes-Benz pulled up next to Ford's car. A passenger in the Mercedes-Benz got out, walked over to Ford and shot him several times.
The gunman got back in the Mercedes, which was being driven by a black woman, and they sped off east on Peck Street. Ford was shot at least four times, according to his older brother.
A day after the shooting a long strip of police tape remained tied to a street sign. Yellow circles near shattered glass marked where bullet casings had landed in the street. Dried blood stained the dry grass where a red candle had been placed in memory of Ford . At the house, family members and friends stood in the backyard.
Ford's older brother, who did not give his name, said his brother was a middle child. Ford was a handyman and had no children, the older brother said. He said he did not know whether his younger brother had arrived or was about to leave for work.
Shortly after, the brother began asking where the mayor was. "Tell him to come here," he said. "Check on these murders, come talk to all the families here." Ford's older brother then wanted to know why so many of Compton's murders have gone unsolved. "You want to do your job," he told this reporter. "Report on that will you."
-ruben vives / LAT
Warren Bernard Samuels, a 45-year-old black man, was shot several times in the 200 block of West Regent Street in Inglewood about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 8. Samuels was taken by ambulance to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to Inglewood Police Department officials, Samuels was loading items into his car when a suspect approached and shot him several times. The suspect then barricaded himself inside a nearby apartment building. Police said residents were evacuated from the building. A SWAT team was called in. Two suspects were detained. Police, however, did not release their names.
James Hurst, 59, a black man, died at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6. He was admitted to the hospital a day before after he was attacked by three black men during a robbery. According to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, the man was assaulted at Ted Watkins County Park, near Century Boulevard and Success Avenue in Watts.
(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, July 7-13, 2008.)
The L.A. County Coroner's office is seeking the public's help in identifying the body of a man found dead in the San Fernando Valley.
A coroner official said the man had been stabbed to death. His body, the official said, was dumped in front of 9130 Bartee Avenue in Arleta early Saturday, June 7. According to the coroner, the man is described as a Latino man between 25 and 35 years old. He stands at 5 feet, 6 inches and weighs 165 pounds. The man has a diagonal scar on the right side of his lips. He was wearing a white metal band with a red stone on the left ring finger.
Anyone with information can call Daniel Machian at the Los Angeles County Coroner Identification Unit, (323)343-0754.
 Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton, pictured left, announced a 7.2% reduction in violent crime in the city -- with the exception of homicides -- at a press conference Wednesday afternoon, July 2, in El Sereno.
Overall there was a 50% reduction in violent crime since 2002, according to the Los Angeles Police Department's crime statistics. "These crime statistics paint a picture of progress for our communities," Villaraigosa told reporters and residents at the Barrio Action Youth and Family Center.
But homicides have risen by 4.3% this year so far. There were 193 homicides during the first six months, compared to 185 in the same period last year. Bratton blamed the increase on gang violence and multiple killings early in the year. Bratton said he expects the homicide rate to decrease because of the recent low rate in gang violence, 15.3% this year so far, with an overall 30% decrease from 2002.
Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger said gang violence accounts for 77% of the homicides in Los Angeles. Paysinger said there are about 400 gangs in the city. According to the crime statistics, gang-related homicides dropped by 13.5%, gang-related shootings decreased by 34.5% and victims of gang-shootings have decreased by 21.7%.
The LAPD's South Bureau, which oversees operations in 77th Street, Southwest and Southeast areas, has a 77% clearance rate for its homicide cases, as opposed to 49% from last year, Villaraigosa added.
"The message we're sending to gangs is that you're going to be targeted by us, the ATF and the feds," Bratton said. "And we're going to come after you."
The following posts represent the victims of homicide in Los Angeles County for the period of July 1-6, 2008
Roberto Lopez, 23, a young Latino, was shot to death in the 100 block of Newburgh Street in Azusa about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, July 6. Paramedics pronounced Lopez dead at the scene. According to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, the man was shot multiple times in the upper torso.
Michael Rodriguez, 21, a young Latino, was shot to death in the 500 block of South Gerhart Avenue in East Los Angeles about 1 a.m. Sunday, July 6. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the man was attending a party when he was shot during an argument with another person. The shooter is described as a Latino man, and fled on foot north on Gerhart Avenue, authorities said.
Jerry Mora, 49, a Latino man, was stabbed to death during an argument in the 700 block of East Deloras Drive in Carson about 5 p.m. Saturday, July 5. Mora was taken to a UCLA-Harbor Hospital. Authorities said he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
L.A. County Sheriff officials said Mora was involved in an argument with another Latino man when he was stabbed with a broken beer bottle. Authorities did not say whether the suspect was in custody. Initially detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division were investigating the incident, however, the investigation was turned over to sheriff's homicide detectives after they learned the address, 700 E. Deloras, is on Carson city limit, an area outside of LAPD's jurisdiction.
Adrian Carrillo, 24, was found stabbed to death in the 16000 of Eucalyptus Avenue in Bellflower about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, July 5. Paramedics pronounced Corrillo dead at the scene.
L.A. County Sheriff's deputies from Lakewood Station responded to a report of a man lying in a driveway with multiple stab wounds to his upper torso. Authorities said Corrillo lived in the rear house at 16000 Eucalyptus and was last seen at 11:30 p.m. Friday, July 4. Neighbors told police that they found him on the driveway in the morning.
 Christopher Davon Payne, 24, a young black man, was shot to death near the intersection of 142nd Street and Eadall Avenue about 2:25 a.m. in South Los Angeles Saturday, July 5. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Payne was tossing a football with his brother when two men inside a truck pulled up. Then a man exited the truck and shot Payne, according to Homicide Det. Joe Sheehy of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. The suspects then sped off in their truck. Anyone with information about the shooting can call Sheriff Dets. Sheehy or Charles at (323) 890-5500
Jose Casillas, 35, a Latino man, was shot in the head and back in the 1300 block of South Greenwood Avenue in Montebello on Friday, July 4. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office listed his time of death as 10:35 p.m.
Jose Espinosa Rodriguez, 38, a Latino man, was killed from a gang shooting in the 400 block of South Cliveden Avenue in Compton about 9:45 p.m., Friday, July 4. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
According to Det. Frank Salerno of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau, Rodriguez was returning home when he was caught in a crossfire between two rival gangs. Salerno said Rodriguez was only a few blocks from his home when he was hit by gunfire. He said Rodriguez lived with a roommate and had no family members in the U.S. All Rodriguez's family lives in Mexico, Salerno said.
Anyone with informaton about the shootings can call sheriff's detectives at (323) 890-5500
Joe Anthony Valverde, 56, a Latino man, died after fighting with his son, according to the Whittier Daily News. The incident occurred in the 10300 block of Colima Road in the unincorporated area of Whittier about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3.
Valverde was taken by ambulance to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His son, Isaac Gutierrez, 34, a Latino man, was arrested on suspicion of murder. Homicide detectives with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department are investigating.
Salvador Nunez, 16, a Latino youth, was shot to death in the 6100 block of Prospect Avenue in Maywood about 10:35 p.m. Thursday, July 3. Homicide detectives with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department are investigating.
 Tyce William Riddle, 19, a white man, pictured left, and Jaime Aguallo Sr., 50, a Latino man, listed below, were fatally shot in a dispute in the 25900 block of Narbonne Avenue in Lomita early Tuesday, July 1.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Riddle and Aguallo were standing outside an apartment complex when four suspects pulled up in a vehicle. The suspects told three men who were standing with Riddle and Aguallo to go inside the complex. An argument broke out between the two groups. Then one of the suspects from inside the vehicle began shooting in the direction of Riddle and Aguallo. Paramedics pronounced Riddle dead at the scene. Aguallo was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to call Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500
 Jaime Aguallo Sr., 50, a Latino man, is the second victim of the homicide listed above.
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 Ruben Walton Ortega, 23, a black man, was killed by an Inglewood Police officer in the 11100 block of Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 1.
Inglewood Police Department officials said officers with a uniformed gang task force received a call that men were loitering. When officers arrived, Ortega ran south in an alley. Officers said they saw him discard what they believe were cash and drugs. One officer chased after Ortega. The officer told investigators that Ortega refused to show his hands and kept his left hand concealed in his waistband, said Sgt. Gabriela Garcia of the Inglewood Police Department.
Believing Ortega was armed, the officer shot him, she said. Paramedics pronounced Ortega dead at the scene. Police said Ortega was a known gang member and a convicted felon.
(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, July 1-6, 2008.)
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