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A white man, aproximately 40 years of age, was found dead about 12:01 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 118th Street and Felton Avenue in Hawthorne, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it was assisting the Hawthorne Police Department in the investigation.
"We still don't know the circumstances of that death," said Deputy Rick Padroza of the L.A. County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau. More soon.
The following posts represent the victims of homicide in Los Angeles County for the period of Sept. 1-7, 2008
 Jermaine Sam Watson, a 34-year-old black man, was shot in the 900 block of West 48th Street in South-Central Los Angeles about 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 7.
Watson was involved in a drug dispute with a 29-year-old black man. During the argument the man pulled out a handgun and shot Watson. The man got into a vehicle, described as a late-model dark-colored compact car, and sped away. Watson was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about the shooting can call LAPD South Bureau Homicide detectives at (213) 485-1383 or 877-LAWFULL. Calls will be confidential. 
Robert Ramirez, 18, a Latino, was shot several times at Whittier Boulevard and McBride Avenue in East Los Angeles about 5:33 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
According to L.A. County Sheriff's Department officials, Ramirez and another man, also Latino, were shot several times. Ramirez was taken to a hospital, where he died the next day. The second man was also taken to a hospital and was released after being treated. Authorities did not have details about suspects or the motive for the shooting.
Anyone with information can call detectives at the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
Scott Segobiano, 42, a white man, was stabbed to death in a parking lot at 21904 Ventura Boulevard about 11:55 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
LAPD Officer Ana Aguirre said West Valley officers responded to a call of a body found in a parking lot. Upon arrival, officers saw that the man had been stabbed numerous times, Aguirre said. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Aguirre said police were searching for a heavyset white man who was wearing light-colored clothing at the time of the incident. The motive for the stabbing was unknown, Aguirre said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call West Valley homicide detectives at (818) 374-7725. Callers can remain anonymous.
Enrique Ramirez, a 17-year-old Latino youth, was shot in the 3200 block of Tecumseh Avenue in South Gate about midnight on Sunday, Sept. 7.
Ramirez was attending a party when he was shot multiple times in the upper torso, authorities said. He was taken St. Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities did not have further details about the shooting.
Anyone with information can call detectives at the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
 Christopher Dajan Avery, 29, a black man, was shot to death at West 99th and Hoover streets in Sout Los Angeles about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
Avery was walking home when he was approached by two men, said Spokeswoman Officer Ana Aguirre of LAPD's media relations office. One of the men pulled out a gun and shot the man in the head, Aguirre said. Avery was pronounced dead at the scene. Aguirre said there was no description of the suspects.
Anyone with information about the shooting can call South Bureau Homicide detectives at (213) 485-1383
Carlos Gonzalez, 19, a young Latino man, was shot in the 800 block of East Lincoln Street in Carson about 9:37 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said Gonzalez was attending a party and was standing outside in the street when he was shot multiple times in the upper torso. Authorities said a dark sport-utility vehicle was seen leaving the area. Gonzalez was taken by to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call detectives with L.A. County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500
Hector Galaviz-Avila, 39, a Latino man, was stabbed to death at Hawthorne Boulevard next to the 105 Freeway off-ramp in Lennox about 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
Deputies from the Sheriff's Lennox Station responded to a call of a man down. Upon arrival, deputies saw that the man, identified as Galaviz-Avila, was lying on the ground; he had been stabbed multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Ricardo Salazar, 37, a Latino man, was shot outside of a home in the 8300 block of Wilbarn Street in Paramount at 1:48 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
Salazar was sitting outside of a home in a lawn chair with his 12-year-old son when a Latino man walking on the sidewalk approached both Salazar and his son. The man then said to Salazar "Hey, remember me," then shot him several times, said Deputy Denise Fuchs of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau. Fuchs said Salazar was struck in the upper torso and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Salazar's 12-year-old son was also struck by gunfire on his right leg. He was taken to a nearby hospital and was released after he was treated. The motive for the shooting is unknown, said Fuchs.
The shooting occurred two minutes away from the 8000 block of Rose Street, where almost a month ago two Latino men, Jose Villa 36, and Candido Salazar, 43, were shot to death by two young Latino men. A 2-year-old boy was also wounded in the gunfire. Authorities said the two men were having a barbecue that day.
Anyone with information about the shootings can call detectives at the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Callers can remain anonymous.
Update: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials initially reported Ricardo's last name as Garcia, but the L.A. County Coroner's office has listed Ricardo's last name as Salazar.
Raul Gonzales, 35, a Latino man, was shot outside a bar in the 100 block of East Rosecrans in Compton about 1:15 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
Gonzales worked at the bar as a doorman, said Deputy Denise Fuchs of the L.A. County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau. She said a patron at the bar lured Gonzales outside of the bar, then shot him several times. Gonzales was hit several times in the upper torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The gunman was described as Latino man, Fuchs said. She said there were no further details about the gunman or a motive for the shooting.
Anyone with information about the shooting can call sheriff's homicide detectives at (323) 890-5500.
 Overland Sylvester Campbell Jr., 20, a young black man, was shot numerous times in the 2000 block of West Florence Avenue in South Los Angeles about 8:50 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5.
Los Angeles Police Department officials said Campbell was walking on the sidewalk when an unknown number of suspects inside a four-door compact vehicle pulled up next to him. A suspect or suspects in the vehicle then fired several shots at Campbell, police said. Campbell collapsed on the sidewalk. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call South Bureau homicide detectives at (213) 485-1383. Callers can remain anonymous.
Armand Bruce, 29, a black man, was shot in the 43500 block of Gadsen Avenue in Lancaster about 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9.
Bruce and another black man approached a Brinks armored truck guard and pepper-sprayed her in the face, said Lt. Erik Ruble of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Lancaster station.
Ruble said the guard was about to pick up money from a business and was carrying an empty money bag, which she dropped when she was sprayed. He said the two men fled on foot after Bruce allegedly grabbed the money bag. Ruble said the guard was able to fire two shots just as the men were running, but did not know whether she struck anyone. Ruble said Bruce had been struck in the back by one of the shots.
After the robbery, witnesses told deputies that one of the men got into an awaiting vehicle with two women. A citizen wrote down the vehicle's license plate and gave the information to authorities. The vehicle was found at a house a mile away from the robbery, Ruble said. The man and two women were taken into custody.
Meanwhile, Bruce was driven to Providence Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 8 p.m. Ruble said the driver of the car was taken into custody.
The Homicide Report was unable to reach a representative from Brinks Inc. for comment.
Anyone with further information about the incident is asked to call detectives with the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
Miguel Angel Guzman, a 16-year-old Latino youth, was killed in a gang shooting at 5th and Bonnie Brae streets in the Westlake area of Los Angeles about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3. Above, a childhood picture of Guzman was placed at his memorial shrine.
 Los Angeles Police Department officials said in a statement that Guzman, a former Belmont High School student, was walking on the sidewalk when three occupants inside a tan Saturn pulled up next to him. The front passenger of the car asked Guzman what gang he belonged to, the statement said. After Guzman responded with his gang name, the passenger exited the car and shot Guzman in the chest, the statement said.
Guzman was taken to L.A. County USC-Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Officers from LAPD's Rampart Division searched the area within minutes after the shooting and located the tan Saturn in the 400 block of Witmer Street, a block away from LAPD's new Rampart Station. Police arrested Norma Cortez, 43, and a Latino juvenile on suspicion of murder. A third person, a Latino man, escaped and remained at large, the statement said.
On Thursday, just a day after the shooting, a coroner official was unable to confirm the homicide at the intersection. The coroner official said to check back, because the body may still be at the hospital.
"We handle about 40 to 50 cases a day," said Lt. Cheryl MacWillie of the Los Angeles coroner's office. Not all of the cases are homicides, but MacWillie explains bluntly. "If there's a body on the street and a body at the hospital, which one do you think will get picked up first?"
On Saturday, flowers, a trucker hat and vigil candles were placed outside of an apartment building where Guzman was shot. Some people would pause to look, while others kept walking.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Rampart homicide Dets. John Motto or Michael Arteaga at (213) 484-3650. Callers can remain anonymous.
Photos: Left, Guzman's memorial shrine. Right, many of the sidewalks in this part of the Westlake area are dumping sites.
-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times
Zenaida Quiazonagustin, a 70-year-old French woman, was severely beaten at her home in the 2600 block of La Vere Drive in Long Beach about 10:40 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Long Beach Police Department officials said officers responded to a report of an assault victim. Quiazonagustin was being taken to a nearby hospital at the same time that officers arrived at her home, authorities said. Officers also located Quiazonagustin's 66-year-old husband in the back of the house. Authorities said her husband suffered a laceration to his head. He was taken to a nearby hospital and was released after he was treated for his wound.
Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman Nancy Pratt said detectives were not releasing further details about the incident. She said the investigation is still ongoing, and there was no motive for the attack. Pratt said anyone who may have been in the area or home at the time of the incident, even if the caller feels the information is insignificant to the case, can call homicide Dets. Dennis Robbins or Daniel Mendoza at (562) 570-7244. Callers can remain anonymous.
Vincent Bejar, 24, a Latino man, was shot in the 15100 block of Eucalyptus Avenue in Bellflower at 1:29 p.m Monday, Sept. 1. The man was taken to Long Beach Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
—Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times
Wayne Johnson, 33, a black man, was shot at 15744 S. Tarrant Avenue in West Rancho Dominguez, near Athens, about 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1.
Johnson was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Anyone with information about the incident can call detectives at the Sheriff's homicide bureau at (323) 526-5541. Callers can remain anonymous.
(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, Sept. 1-7, 2008.)
The following posts represent the victims of homicide in Los Angeles County for the period of Aug. 25-31, 2008
Eddie Felix Franco, 56, a Latino man, was shot and killed by Inglewood police about 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, at 475 Market Street in Inglewood. Franco was homeless.
It is the Inglewood Police Department's fourth officer-involved shooting since May (see Michael Byoune, Ruben Walton Ortega and Kevin Wicks ). See The Times' article on the shooting.
-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times
Melvin James Comeaux Jr., 28, a black man, was shot several times at 94th Place and Normandie Avenue about 8:40 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24. He was taken to a hospital. After surgery, he remained on life support for a week, authorities said. Comeaux died from his wounds Sunday, Aug. 31.
Los Angeles Police Department officials said a black man fired several shots in Comeaux's direction without cause. Authorities said the man fled into an alley between 94th Street and 94th Place. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call South Bureau Homicide Dets. M. Kellum and E. Crosson at (213) 485-1383.
Euhenio Santos, 37, a Latino man, was found dead at 22nd and Alameda streets in South-Central Los Angeles about 3 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 31.
Los Angeles Police Department officials said a man flagged down police officers who were driving by the area and told officers he had found the body of a man. Officer Karen Smith of the LAPD's media relations office said the man appeared to have died from blunt-force trauma to the head. Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene.
On Monday, Sept. 1, Lt. John Kades of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office said the man's death was being investigated as a homicide. Kades said the man died from a gunshot wound to the mouth and neck. Kades said the man was found lying on the street. He said the man's name and age has not been released, pending next of kin.
-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times
Jackie Vargas, 31, a Latino man, was fatally shot in a car-to-car shooting in the 4100 block of Durfee Avenue in El Monte about 11:37 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29.
L.A. County Sheriff's Department officials said Vargas was shot several times in the upper torso. He died at the scene. Authorities were searching for two Latino men in a White Ford F-150 pickup truck.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call detectives fromt he L.A. County Sheriff's homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500
-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times
Isaias Quinones, 40, a Latino man who worked as an armed security guard, was fatally shot about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, in a bank parking lot at 29th Street and Crenshaw Boulevard in Jefferson Park.
Quinones was approached by two black men in the parking lot at a Bank of America branch, said Officer Kate Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department. She said there was an altercation and one of the men pulled out a gun and shot Quinones several times. The guard was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, she said.
Lopez said it was unclear whether the two men were trying to rob the bank. Authorities reported that Quinones may have been shot with his own gun. An employee at a nearby store said she saw two men bend down and grab something before fleeing on foot.
"It made me cry," she said. The guard "woke up thinking it's another day of work, another day of life."
Leticia Bellez, 36, who went to the bank with her 96-year-old grandmother to withdraw money before the Labor Day weekend, said she was stunned to hear of the killing.
"He was friendly and very courteous," she said. "He would always open the door for us."
Jimmie James, another bank patron, said his initial thought when he arrived at the bank was that the guard had killed someone. "Then I found out he was the one that got killed," he said.
"He was telling me the other day about how he was going to quit because he didn't feel safe," James said.
This is the second fatal shooting involving an armed security guard. On Friday, April 18, Hernan Cardona, 60, was shot and killed outside an Auto Zone in Arlington Heights, just two miles from the bank. No arrests have been made in that shooting.
Anyone with information about the Quinones shooting is asked to call the 24-hour tip line (877) LAWFULL.
Photo: Above, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department's bloodhound team was called in to assist the Los Angeles Police Department with the investigation. At right, the guard's clothing lies on the ground where he was treated by paramedics.
—Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times
Lester Pineda, a 22-year-old Latino man, was shot and killed at 45th and Wall streets in South-Central Los Angeles about 12:40 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 28.
Spokeswoman Officer Julianne Sohn of LAPD's media relation's office said four black men in a green vehicle pulled up next to the man. Someone from inside fired several shots, hitting the man in the head, said Sohn. She said the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting occurred in LAPD's Newton Division. Homicide detectives are investigating the incident.
Anyone with information about the shooting can call homicide detectives at LAPD's Newton Division (323) 846-3937.
Update: Initially authorities said the shooting took place on Monday, Aug. 25, but the coroner's office listed the day of the shooting as Thursday, Aug. 28. The coroner's office also identified the man as Lester Pineda, 22 years of age.
-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times
Larry Coner, 17, a black youth, was fatally shot at 4101 Montclair St. in Jefferson Park Wednesday, Aug. 27. Coner's time of death was listed as 4:15 a.m. that day.
Henry Watts, 28-year-old black man, was shot multiple times at 1222 W. 120th Street in Willowbrook about 10:55 p.m. Sunday Aug. 24. Watts was pronounced dead the next day at a local hospital.
 Florence Anderson, 71, a black woman, was shot and killed about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, in her frontyard in Pomona.
After arriving at her house in the 700 block of Mayfair Avenue, police found Anderson, pictured at left, lying in the frontyard with gunshot wounds to the upper body. Anderson's nephew, Calvin Wimbley, and her 17-year-old great-nephew were wounded.
Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anderson's daughter, Brenda Tribble, 51, said her mother was often outside because she suffered from asthma. She said her mother was well-respected in the community and sometimes called Mother Anderson. "She helped so many people," Tribble said, adding that her mother would sometimes let  homeless people stay at her home.
"It's terrible," Anthony Bonner, 23, a neighbor, said on hearing about Anderson's death. "She was a wonderful lady and good for the community."
Tribble said she had spent all night waiting for police officials to end their investigation. About 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters hosed down blood from the small front patio where Anderson and her nephew and great-nephew were sitting when they were shot. About 7 a.m., a police officer escorted Tribble past the yellow tape and to her mother's house.
Tribble said it did not bother her too much to enter her mother's home. "I have Christ, brother," Tribble said.
Photo: Right, Anderson's daughter, Brenda Tribble, waits for firefighters to clean the blood from her mother's patio. The bloody water flowed alongside the curb.
Credit: Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times
Leroy Smith, a 55-year-old black man, was killed in a drive-by shooting at 132 W. 70th street, near Main Street in South-Central Los Angeles about 5:38 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25.
According to police, the man was shot in the chest in a drive-by shooting. The man was taken to nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Three other people were also wounded in the shooting,including a 5-year-old boy. Spokeswoman Officer Julianne Sohn of LAPD's media relations office said the boy suffered a grazed to the arm. A 16-year-old was shot in the leg and a 21-year-old woman was shot in the foot. Sohn said there was no description of a vehicle. This is the second drive-by shooting to have occurred in the LAPD's Newton Division. The homicide was also reported by a citizen.
 Percy Jones, 50, a black man, was stabbed to death about 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24, in Westlake during a dispute in an alley near 7th and Hoover streets, near Koreatown.
Officer Julianne Sohn of the Los Angeles Police Department's media relations office said Jones was involved in a dispute with several men. She said the men began punching and kicking Jones, and one of them stabbed him several times with a knife. Jones was taken by ambulance to County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead the next day.
Family members said they learned about Jones' death from a coroner's investigator two days later. The investigator told the family that Jones was found in an alley and had died Monday morning at a hospital. His case, the investigator said, was being investigated as a homicide.
Jones' uncle, Anthony Cook, said he couldn't believe it. He said his nephew had left for Lancaster that Sunday morning. He "didn't tell me he was going anywhere in downtown," Cook said.
Family members searched for news stories on the Web about a possible homicide in the alley, but were frustrated to learn there had been no coverage on it. On Saturday, Aug. 30, Jones' family called The Times' newsdesk and were given details about his death.
"I'm stunned," Cook said. The coroner "told me they found him in the alley, but nothing about him being stabbed."
Cook's daughter, Tamiko, said her cousin liked to be outdoors and was trying to get his own apartment. She said Jones' longtime girlfriend died of a stroke in 2001. Shortly after, he had a hard time finding a place to live, often staying with relatives.
Tamiko Cook, 34, said her cousin had just returned from Lancaster the week before. She said when Jones' returned, he told the family that he was moving to Lancaster because rent was affordable and he had met a woman.
"He was looking for a ride," Anthony Cook said. "He left here walking."
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call LAPD Rampart homicide detectives at (213) 484-3450. Callers can remain anonymous.
-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times
(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, Aug. 25-31, 2008.)
Christopher Sloan was born early, and weighed only two pounds. His family did not know whether he would survive. He did.
At 16, while attending Centennial High School in Compton, his mother died of a heart attack.
His aunt, Yvonne Edwards, 55, said Sloan took his mother's death hard. He was the only child, she said, and his father had left him at an early age.
Life went on for Christopher Sloan, though. Long enough for the aspiring music producer to father a son, attend college and land a job as a security guard, Edwards said.
But it came to an end July 14 when he was killed by gunfire. Sloan, 22, had just placed his 8-month-old son in his girlfriend's car outside his home in the 2400 block of East 108th Street, near Watts.
He was about to kiss his girlfriend, Robyn Jackson, goodbye when a Latino man walked out of an alley behind his home and began shooting at Sloan, said officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Sloan ran to divert the bullets from his son and girlfriend, Edwards said. A second shooter standing at the intersection fatally shot him, she said. Sloan staggered to a neighbor's house and collapsed on the sidewalk. Jackson, 21, said she ran to him.
"He was trying to gasp for air," Jackson said. "I held his hand and I prayed to God."
Sloan was pronounced dead at St. Francis Medical Center.
Sheriff's homicide Det. Philip Ferguson said he had not confirmed the second shooter. Sloan had no criminal history, said Ferguson, who did not know the motive for the shooting. 
"He [Sloan] definitely knew people who were in a gang," Ferguson said. "But we don't know if he was a specific target because of his association with a gang or whether he did something that caused him to get shot."
Sloan, a budding rap artist, was attending college to become a music producer, Edwards said. He recently had been hired as a security guard, a job that gave him time to be with his son during the day, she added.
Three days after the shooting, relatives sat in the front yard. Family members began sharing stories of Sloan's bad luck with cars and his goofy laugh.
"He's going to be missed," Edwards said. "But he's with his mama now."
Photo: Sloan, Jackson and their 8-month-old son. Bottom right, Balloons, candles and flowers were placed outside a neighbor's home, where Sloan collapsed. Credit: Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times
Continue reading "'He's going to be missed'" »
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