Lynwood: Esperanza Serrano, 66

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Esperanza Serrano, a 66-year-old Latina, was shot to death Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the 3000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Lynwood, authorities said.

Police have released a composite sketch and description of the suspect in her killing.

Serrano was discovered at her check-cashing business when a postal worker arrived to deliver her mail and noticed something was out of place, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Det. Mark Lillienfeld.

The postal worker, who had walked the same mail route for years, called 911 shortly after 10 a.m. on Oct. 7, after noticing that a single shoe was lying in the lobby of Serrano’s business, Lillienfeld said. Serrano, a grandmother of eight, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Serrano’s daughter, Elizabeth Tejada, 41, said her mother had been robbed three times in the last year but refused to be intimidated, returning to work the morning after each incident.

Lillienfeld said the motive in Serrano’s killing appeared to be robbery. Police are still taking inventory of her store to determine what, if anything, was stolen.

A man was seen running from the scene wearing a black hooded zip-up sweatshirt and black jeans. Police said witnesses described him as a Latino, about 5 feet, 6 or 7 inches tall and overweight at 180 to 200 pounds. The man sought by authorities appeared to be about 25 to 30 years old, and has thick, bushy eyebrows, Lillienfeld said.

Anyone with information about this killing, or who recognizes the suspect, is asked to call Sheriff’s homicide detectives at 323-890-5500.

-- Anthony Pesce

For more times coverage of Serrano’s killing read: Customers mourn slain Lynwood merchant

Follow The Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Top photo: Esperanza Serrano, 66. Credit: Serrano family. Bottom photo: A police composite sketch of the man suspected of killing Serrano.

Map: The location where Serrano was found dead. Credit Google Maps