Grandmother apparently killed with barbecue fork; motive sought

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Police are trying to determine a motive after a 22-year-old man allegedly killed his grandmother Sunday using a barbecue fork.

Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Paul Vernon called the incident in Mission Hills ‘especially sad and tragic.’

The suspect, identified as Joe Calderon, was raised by his grandparents and stabbed his grandmother at their Mission Hills home Sunday morning, police said.
Investigators believe Calderon fought with his grandparents Saturday night and, after his grandfather went to work Sunday, again argued with his grandmother, Vernon said. This time, the suspect allegedly began beating his grandmother, who called her daughter for help.

When the daughter arrived at the home in the 11100 block of Rincon Avenue, Calderon ‘confronted her’ outside the home ‘with a long metal stick,’ Vernon said. She went around the corner and called police about 9 a.m. Responding officers detained Calderon, whom Vernon said had blood on his hands.

The grandmother was found dead in the kitchen, Vernon said. Her name has not been released, though authorities described her as a woman in her 70s. It was unclear what relationship her daughter is to the suspect.

Vernon said investigators found several possible weapons at the scene, including the barbecue fork that ‘appeared to have blood on the prongs.’ Forensic tests will be conducted to determine if the utensil was in fact the murder weapon, he added.

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