Man fatally shot in Rolls-Royce in Baldwin Hills identified by relatives as Inglewood nightclub owner

A 67-year-old man shot to death early Friday morning inside his white Rolls-Royce in the driveway of his Baldwin Hills mansion was a real estate entrepreneur and Inglewood nightclub owner, his relatives said.

Alonzo Ester owned Dynasty Restaurant and Lounge in Inglewood and also worked in real estate, according to his ex-wife and his son, Abraham Ester.

Ester was fatally shot around 3 a.m. in his driveway in the 4600 block of Hillcrest Drive by an assailant who apparently approached the driver’s side door and fired one or two shots.

Witnesses heard the shots and saw a man apparently leaving the scene in a sedan, said Capt. Vito Palazzolo of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Palazzolo would identify the victim only as a 67-year-old African American. The nightclub owner has a black Rolls-Royce and a white one. He was driving the $300,000 white car, which rolled into a neighbor's house across the street after the shooting.

His former wife, Patricia Ester, said she doubted the motive was a robbery given that the assailant left the valuable car behind.

Detectives stressed that the investigation is in the early stages, but it appears the nightclub owner could have been followed home.

According to relatives, Alonzo Ester was born in Louisiana and moved to Los Angeles, where he got into the real estate business with his then father-in-law and built up his wealth.

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-- Richard Winton