Woodland Hills: Michael Conoscenti, 56

Michael Conoscenti, a 56-year-old white man, was stabbed to death Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the 20100 block of Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Conoscenti was discovered with multiple stab wounds in a room at the Comfort Inn, said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office. He was pronounced dead at 9:35 a.m.

-- Anthony Pesce

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Map: The location where Michael Conoscenti was stabbed. Click for the Woodland Hills Mapping L.A. page to learn more about the demographics of the neighborhood.

Van Nuys: Robert Rodriguez, 14

Robert Rodriguez, a 14-year-old Latino boy, was shot and killed on Friday, Oct. 23, in the 15400 block of Vanowen Street in Van Nuys, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office, said Rodriguez was standing outside an apartment when he was approached by someone and shot. Winter said the assailant could be affiliated with a gang.

Rodriguez was shot about 3:50 p.m. and pronounced dead at the scene at 4 p.m., Winter said.

—Anthony Pesce

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Map: The location where Robert Rodriguez was shot.

Click the Van Nuys Mapping L.A. page to learn about the neighborhood demographics.

Northridge: Patrick Shillings, 21

Patrick Shillings, a 21-year-old black man, was shot several times and killed Sunday, Oct. 18, at Lassen Street and White Oak Avenue in Northridge, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Craig Harvey, chief coroner investigator, said Shillings was walking east on Lassen Street with another person when they were approached by several people.

An argument began and several shots were fired, Harvey said. Shillings ran and collapsed a short distance away. He was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. at the scene, Harvey said.

-- Anthony Pesce

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Map: The location where Patrick Shillings was shot. Click for the Northridge Mapping L.A. page to learn more about the demographics of the neighborhood.

Panorama City: Joaquin Navarro, 20

Joaquin Navarro, a 20-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the 14600 block of Blythe Street in Panorama City, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Navarro was driving down the street when a car pulled up next to him and someone inside fired off several shots, said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office.

Navarro was shot about 3:09 p.m. and taken to a hospital where he died at 3:39 p.m, Winter said.

-- Anthony Pesce

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Map: The location where Joaquin Navarro was shot. Click for the Panorama City Mapping L.A. page to learn more about the demographics of the neighborhood.

North Hollywood: Juan Guijarro-Ramirez, 44

Juan Guijarro-Ramirez, a 44-year-old Latino man, died Sunday, Oct. 11, after he was assaulted in the 11700 block of Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood, authorities said.

He died after being struck in the head outside a club, said Los Angeles Police Officer Rosario Herrera.

Guijarro-Ramirez was involved in an altercation with two men about 12:30 a.m., according to Herrera and the county coroner’s office.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The whereabouts of the two suspects was unknown, Herrera said.

--Corina Knoll

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Map: The location where Juan Guijarro-Ramirez was shot. Click for the North Hollywood Mapping L.A. page to learn more about the demographics of the neighborhood.

Times coverage: 2 suspects still at large in killing of baby

Andrew Garcia, a 4-month-old Latino infant, died Sunday, Sept. 27, after he was shot at Kittridge and Sylmar streets in Van Nuys, authorities said.

This is an excerpt from Times coverage of the killing: 

Marlene Ramirez and Frank Garcia didn't have a lot, but they were devoted to their 4-month-old son Andrew, relatives said Monday.

"He was their life," said Veronica Munoz, Ramirez's cousin.

On Monday, Garcia, 21, a warehouse worker, and Ramirez, 18, were making funeral arrangements for their baby, a day after he was killed and two others wounded in what police say was a gang-related shooting in Van Nuys.

The killing happened about 1 a.m. Sunday in the 14300 block of Kittridge Street as the young couple were preparing to drive home from a friend's baptismal celebration, Los Angeles police said.

Two unidentified male suspects remained at large and were last seen fleeing on foot. One was described as 18 to 22 years old and about 5 foot 9 with a shaved head. The other is about 5 foot 5 and 200 pounds, police said.

Witnesses spotted a brown pickup filled with recyclables leaving the area shortly after the shooting. Police said the vehicle could be linked to the crime.

Read the full story: 2 suspects still at large in killing of baby

-- Catherine Saillant and Ann M. Simmons

Photo: Andrew Garcia, a 4-month-old killed in an apparent gang-related attack early Sunday, is remembered at a vigil on the site where he was shot. Credit: Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times

Canoga Park: Guillermo Mendoza-Rojas, 21

Guillermo Mendoza-Rojas, a 21-year-old Latino, died Sunday, Sept. 26 after he was shot twice in the 20900 block of Gresham Street in Canoga Park, authorities said.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 8800 block of Independence Avenue near Gresham Street just before 3 a.m., said Los Angeles police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman.

Isidro Meza-Rojas, a 28-year-old Latino, was shot and killed in the same incident. Coroner's officials said the two men were cousins.

-- Esmeralda Bermudez and Anthony Pesce

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Map: The location where Guillermo Mendoza-Rojas was shot. Click for the Canoga Park Mapping L.A. page to learn more about the demographics of the neighborhood.

Canoga Park: Isidro Meza-Rojas, 28

Isidro Meza-Rojas, a 28-year-old Latino, died Saturday, Sept. 26 after he was shot twice in the 20900 block of Gresham Street in Canoga Park, authorities said.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 8800 block of Independence Avenue near Gresham Street just before 3 a.m., said Los Angeles police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman.

Meza-Rojas was shot in the head and the chest, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Guillermo Mendoza-Rojas, a 21-year-old Latino, was shot and killed in the same incident. Coroner's officials said the two men were cousins.

-- Esmeralda Bermudez and Anthony Pesce

Follow The Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Map: The location where Isidro Meza-Rojas was shot. Click for the Canoga Park Mapping L.A. page to learn more about the demographics of the neighborhood.

Winnetka: Martin Mendez, 32

Martin Mendez, a 32-year-old Latino, died Sunday, Sept. 13, after he was assaulted and suffered head trauma at Saticoy Street and Winnetka Avenue in Winnetka, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Mendez was attacked outside a bar about 12:40 a.m. and taken to a hospital, where he died at 1:25 a.m., said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office.

-- Anthony Pesce

Follow The Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Map: The location where Martin Mendez was assaulted. Click for the Winnetka Mapping L.A. page to learn more about the demographics of the neighborhood.

Sun Valley: Edith Moreno Gomez, 11

Edith Moreno Gomez, an 11-year-old, Latina, died on Wednesday, Sept. 2 after her throat was slashed in the 7800 block of Irvine Avenue in Sun Valley, authorities said.

[Edith's age was initially reported as 12 but, according to coroner's officials, her 12th birthday would have been in October.] Her sister, Diana Moreno, a 16-year-old Latina, was killed in the same incident.

On Friday, Sept. 4 their mother, Antonia Gomez, 38, was arrested on suspicion of killing her daughters.

The following is an excerpt from the Times report on the killings: Troubles had mounted for mother suspected of killing two daughters

Edith Moreno was only 12 years old, but last week the Sun Valley girl had a serious question for her friend and next-door neighbor Karina Valdez.

What happens when we die?

Karina and her parents are Jehovah's Witnesses. Taking her Bible, 12-year-old Karina explained that death was like going to sleep and waiting to be resurrected by God.

"I didn't really think anything about it because we were teaching her about our other beliefs," said Karina's mother, Irene Bell. "Edith was just a wonderful, happy child. She was the biggest tomboy. She never complained about anything. "

-- Hector Becerra

Follow the Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Top photo: Students from Grant High School in Van Nuys gather outside the Sun Valley house where the throats of their classmate, Diana Moreno, and her sister Edith were slashed. Bottom photo: Edith Gomez, 11 (Stefano Paltera / For The TImes )

Sun Valley: Diana Moreno Gomez, 16

Diana Moreno Gomez, a 16-year-old Latina, died on Wednesday, Sept. 2 after her throat was slashed in the 7800 block of Irvine Avenue in Sun Valley, authorities said.

Her sister, Edith Moreno Gomez, an 11-year-old Latina, was killed in the same incident. [Edith's age was initially given as 12 but, according to coroner's officials,her 12th birthday would have been in October.]

On Friday, Sept. 4 their mother, Antonia Gomez, 38, was arrested on suspicion of killing her daughters.

The following is an excerpt from the full Times story on the killings: Troubles had mounted for mother suspected of killing two daughters

Edith Moreno was only 12 years old, but last week the Sun Valley girl had a serious question for her friend and next-door neighbor Karina Valdez.

What happens when we die?

Karina and her parents are Jehovah's Witnesses. Taking her Bible, 12-year-old Karina explained that death was like going to sleep and waiting to be resurrected by God.

"I didn't really think anything about it because we were teaching her about our other beliefs," said Karina's mother, Irene Bell. "Edith was just a wonderful, happy child. She was the biggest tomboy. She never complained about anything. "

-- Hector Becerra

Follow the Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Top photo: Students from Grant High School in Van Nuys gather outside the Sun Valley house where the throats of their classmate, Diana Moreno, and her sister Edith were slashed. Bottom photo: Diana Moreno, 16. Credit: Stefano Paltera / For The TImes

Shadow Hills: Christobal Lira, 32

Christobal Lira, a 32-year-old Latino, was beaten and shot in the 9700 block of Sunland Boulevard in Shadow Hills and died  Tuesday, Aug. 18, according to Los Angeles coroner's officials.

Lira was found dead in his yard at 9:15 p.m, said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office. Winter said authorities believe Lira may have been beaten and shot during a home invasion and robbery.

-- Anthony Pesce

North Hollywood: Sergio Ramirez, 19

Sergio Ramirez, 19, was shot twice in his lower back and died Tuesday, Aug. 11. Ramirez, described by coroner's officials as a white man, was shot late that night at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Vanowen Street in North Hollywood.

Friends took Ramirez to a hospital where he died, according to a Los Angeles Police Department news release.

Detectives determined that he had been fatally wounded during a shootout between rival gangs. Authorities have arrested Nestor Otero, a 24-year-old Latino, and Bryan Torres, 19, both of North Hollywood, in connection with the shooting.

Det. Rich Wheeler, of the North Hollywood Division, said Otero was arrested at the scene and that Torres was arrested at the hospital where Ramirez was taken. Los Angeles County Jail records indicate police arrested Otero about 12:15 a.m. on Aug. 12 and that Torres was arrested 15 minutes later.

Wheeler said Otero and Torres were from different gangs, and police were searching today for additional suspects, Wheeler said.

Bail for Otero and Torres was set at $1 million each.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz and Anthony Pesce

Van Nuys: Giovanni Perez, 20

Giovanni Perez, a 20-year-old Latino, was shot in the torso and died on Monday, August 3, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Authorities said Perez may have been shot because he had just witnessed an armed robbery. He was standing in the 7300 block of Lennox Avenue in Van Nuyswhen two Latino men robbed two people a short distance away, according to Los Angeles police.

After the robbery, police said the two men walked up Lennox Avenue and saw Perez standing in the street.

One of the men and Perez got into an argument, and the man pulled out a gun and shot Perez in the torso, according to the LAPD.

Perez was taken to a hospital, where he died shortly after he arrived.

The suspects are both described by the LAPD as Latino men between 24 and 26 years old with medium builds. One is 5 feet 3, and the other is 5 feet 7.

Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD Van Nuys homicide detectives at (818) 374-1948.

-- Anthony Pesce

Dispatch: 'It's still a mystery why he was on that street'

Seventeen years ago, Akop Aduryan moved to Los Angeles from his native Armenia, hoping to make a better life for his young family.

His country was war torn and in economic shambles after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Together, he and his wife, Ruzanna, who was pregnant with their second child, decided to start over in America.

Nine days after they arrived, his wife gave birth to another son. They shared a small three-bedroom home in North Hollywood with 12 family members.

Aduryan, who had received two degrees in Armenia, worked making jewelry with his brother to support his family. After they moved into their own apartment, he and his brother worked together as mechanics. With money still tight, four years ago he took a second job as a night security guard.

Each weeknight his routine was the same. He would get home from his work as a mechanic around 6 p.m., take a short nap, then leave for his job as a security guard at 8 p.m. He would return home for roughly half an hour between 9 and 9:45 p.m., then leave again for work and come home at midnight, said his older son Chris, 18.

On July 23, Aduryan followed his usual pattern. He arrived home about 9 p.m. on his break from guarding outside an insurance company building at Victory Boulevard and Laurel Canyon Boulevard in North Hollywood. Forty-five minutes later he went back to work.

What happened next makes no sense to his wife and sons.

About 11 p.m., Aduryan got into a heated argument with a group of Armenian men in a somewhat secluded area in the 7500 block of Goodland Avenue in Sun Valley – along the back fence of the Charles Leroy Lowman Special Education Center, a school for special needs children.

He was more than two miles from his security guard post.

Van Nuys: Juan Espinoza, 19

Juan Espinoza, a 19-year-old Latino, was shot several times on Friday, July 31,  at Friar Street and Vesper Avenue in Van Nuys. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Espinoza, of Van Nuys, was found shot in a parking lot at about 10:30 p.m., according to the LAPD. Espinoza got into an argument with someone, which led to the shooting, police said.

The suspect was described by police as a Latino man in his late 20s or early 30s with black hair. Police said the suspect drove away in a small, late 1980s model four-door car, possibly a Honda Civic.

Anyone with information about this killing is asked to call LAPD Van Nuys homicide detectives at (818)374-0040.

-- Anthony Pesce

Sylmar: Antonio Arenas, 35

Antonio Arenas, a 35-year-old Latino, was shot several times and died July 31 at San Fernando Road and Cobalt Street in Sylmar, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Police found Arenas, of Sylmar, at 10:24 a.m. lying in the street with several gunshot wounds after they received a call about an assault with a deadly weapon, according to Los Angeles police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police know of no motive and have no suspect in the killing.

Anyone with information about this killing is asked to call LAPD Mission Division homicide detectives at (818) 838-9810.

-- Anthony Pesce

Sun Valley: Akop Aduryan, 46

Akop Aduryan, a 46-year-old man whom the Los Angeles County coroner's office identified as Armenian, was shot several times July 23 in the 7500 block of Goodland Avenue in Sun Valley.

Los Angeles Police Det. Kirk Patrick said witnesses told police that Aduryan, of Van Nuys, was involved in an argument with a few other Armenian men when he was shot. Patrick did not know what the argument was about or if Aduryan knew the men who shot him.

Patrick said the shooting happened in a dark, secluded area at 11:10 p.m. Witnesses were unable to provide descriptions of the suspects, and Patrick said he knows of no motive in the killing and has few leads to go on.

-- Anthony Pesce in North Hollywood

Photo: A street memorial for Akop Aduryan, a 46-year-old Armenian man who was shot in the 7500 block of Goodland Avenue in North Hollywood. Credit: Anthony Pesce / Los Angeles Times

Dispatch: "RIP Crystal"

On June 26, a maintenance man went to an apartment on the 7000 block of Whitsett Ave. in Valley Glen to fix a leak. Inside, he found Crystal Zaldivar, a 17-year-old Latina, stabbed multiple times in the home she shared with an aunt.

Authorities called to the scene pronounced Zaldivar dead, according to Los Angeles Police Det. Rich Wheeler.

Later that day, police said her neighbor, Martin Ordonez, an 18-year-old Latino, told authorities that he had killed her.

Wheeler said that Ordonez told police he got into a heated argument at the apartment building with Zaldivar. Ordonez then allegedly got a kitchen knife and entered Zaldivar's apartment, stabbing her multiple times in the upper torso.

Ordonez pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder at his arraignment on June 30 at the Van Nuys Superior Court. He is represented by public defender Tony Corti. Ordonez will appear in court again on Aug. 20 to schedule a time for his preliminary hearing. He is being held at County Jail in lieu of $1,025,000 bail.

Police said that Ordonez and Zaldivar were not romantically involved.

After her death, Zaldivar's friends placed candles in front of her apartment door and outside the building gate.  “I love you” and “RIP Crystal” were etched into windowpane dust and spray painted on the sidewalk.

According to Monica Carazo of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Zaldivar attended Ulysses S. Grant Senior High School until March when she transferred to a continuation school.

Neighbors said they have not seen Zaldivar's aunt at the apartment since her niece was stabbed to death. They recalled Zaldivar as a nice girl.

-- Sarah Ardalani in Valley Glen

Top photo: Candles and messages left at the Valley Glen apartment where Crystal Zaldivar, 17, was found stabbed to death June 26. Credit: Sarah Ardalani/Los Angeles Times. Bottom photo: Image of Crystal Zaldivar taped to wall outside the apartment she shared with an aunt.

Mission Hills: Jesus Hernandez, 10

Jesus Hernandez, a 10-year-old Latino boy, was ejected from a car and killed July 6 at Sepulveda Boulevard and Mayall Street in Mission Hills, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

According to coroner's records, Hernandez was killed when he was "unrestrained in the cargo area of [a] van and ejected during [his] mother's intoxicated boyfriend's road rage altercation with another driver/vehicle."

-- Anthony Pesce

Reseda: Saida Munguia, 40

Saida Munguia, a 40-year-old Latina, was stabbed several times in the 7600 block of Reseda Boulevard in Reseda. She died June 1, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Munguia was found dead in her apartment about 2:50 p.m., officials said.

Bryan Garcia Munguia, Saida Munguia's son, was been arrested in connection with his mother's death. He was found at a restaurant across the street from the apartment  at 11:15 p.m. Monday, said a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

-- Raja Abdulrahim

Northridge: Joaquin Rodriguez, 21

Joaquin Rodriguez, a 21-year-old Latino, was stabbed several times and died June 26 in the 18600 block of Frankfort Street in Northridge, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Rodriguez was driving his Jeep when one of the passengers reached over and stabbed him several times, according to KNBC-TV.

KNBC reported that Rodriguez crashed his Jeep into a trailer after being stabbed. The attacker got into another vehicle that was waiting nearby and fled.

Rodriguez died at the scene.

-- Anthony Pesce

Read NBC's account: Passenger stabs, kills driver

Pacoima: Gerardo Cruz, 30

Gerardo Cruz, a 30-year-old Latino, was shot and died June 17 in the 13000 block of Weidner Street in Pacoima, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

LA Weekly reported that Cruz was standing in front of his girlfriend's home, having a beer with her brother, when three men drove up, got out of the car, and started shooting.

Police are calling the shooting gang-related, though they say Cruz was not a gang member, according to LA Weekly.

-- Anthony Pesce

Read LA Weekly's account: Fatal drive-by shooting in Pacoima

Sun Valley: Filemon Cortez, 31

Filemon Cortez, a 31-year-old Latino, was hit over the head with a bottle. He was attacked at the Corona Motel, in the 11700 block of Saticoy Street in Sun Valley, on June 7, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Cortez was struck during an attempted robbery. He was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery to treat his wound, but he died June 9.

Juan Carlos Huezo, 22, was arrested in connection with the killing and is set to be arraigned July 2, according to the LAPD.

-- Anthony Pesce