Saul Melchor, a 25-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Wednesday, Aug. 4, in the 8100 block of Langdon Avenue in Van Nuys, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Melchor was driving south on Langdon Avenue about 8:25 p.m. when gunfire hit his car, according to an LAPD news release. The shooting caused Melchor to lose control of his white Dodge pickup and his vehicle hit several vehicles parked along the curb. Authorities were called and Melchor was pronounced dead at the scene, police ...
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Saul Melchor, 25
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Elaine Thompson, 59
Elaine Thompson, a 59-year-old white woman, was fatally shot Thursday, Aug. 5, in the 2900 block of Foss Avenue in Mayflower Village, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Thompson's husband, Robert Maurice Thompson, called 911 about 1 p.m. and told the dispatcher he had shot his wife and she was dead, said sheriff's homicide Det. Ralph Hernandez, who is handling the investigation. Authorities arrived and she was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:23 p.m. She had been shot ...
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Maria Reyes, 22
Maria Reyes, a 22-year-old Latina, was shot and killed Thursday, Aug. 5, in the 4800 block of Saint Charles Place in Mid-City, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Shortly after 11 p.m., a patrol unit was dispatched to investigate a gunshot call, according to an LAPD news release. When officers arrived at the location, they found Reyes in her apartment dead. She had been shot several times, according to coroner's records. Since the shooting, authorities have identified Reyes' boyfriend ...
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Juan Frias, 19
Juan Frias, a 19-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Friday, Aug. 6, in the 11000 block of South Vermont in Westmont, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Deputies received a call reporting shots fired about 6:30 p.m., said sheriff's homicide Det. Toni Martinez, who is handling the investigation. When authorities arrived, they found Frias in a friend's house. He and been shot once and was pronounced dead at the scene, Martinez said. No one else was hurt. Although there ...
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Jason Randle, 21
Jason Randle, a 21-year-old black man, was fatally shot Saturday, Aug. 7, in the 7000 block of South Hoover Street in Vermont-Slauson, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Police received a call of "shots fired, victim down" about 11:30 p.m., said L.A. Police Department Criminal Gangs and Homicide Det. Refugio Garza, who is handling the investigation. When authorities arrived, they found Randle in the back of his apartment complex with several gunshot wounds. He was taken to California Medical ...
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Juan Ortega, 23
Juan Ortega, a 23-year-old Latino, died Sunday, Aug. 8, more than an hour after he was shot in the 4900 block of Patata Street in Cudahy, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. The shooting occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 7, said Deputy Lillian Peck of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Ortega was shot by assailants in a four-door compact car, according to the department.He was taken to a hospital, where he died at 12:52 a.m., according ...
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Alfred Beserra, 29
Alfred Beserra, a 29-year-old Latino, died Sunday, Aug. 8, in the 8500 block of Garvey Avenue in Rosemead, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. The incident occurred sometime before 10 a.m. Deputies said they arrived at the scene to find a compact car that had hit a wall and was in flames. A man who had suffered a gunshot wound was standing outside the car. A second man in the car's passenger seat, later identified by the coroner's office ...
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Times coverage: Friends recall Debra Jackson's disappearance and death 25 years later
Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary since the body of Debra Jackson, 29, was found in an alley near West Gage Avenue in the Vermont-Slauson area, the first known victim of a serial killer later known as the Grim Sleeper. At the time of her death, Jackson, a trained beautician who was working as a waitress, had been close to regaining custody of her three young children.The Times sat down with her friends, Leo and Elizabeth Anderson, to talk about the evening ...
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Times coverage: Gang members stand trial for racially motivated killings in Harbor Gateway
Two 204th Street gang members are standing trial for the alleged racially motivated shooting death of a teenage girl and the stabbing of a potential witness.Prosecutors in court Wednesday said Cheryl Green, a 14-year-old black girl, was hanging out with friends on Dec. 15, 2000 in a driveway in the 20000 block of South Harvard Boulevard in Harbor Gateway when Jonathan Fajardo, 22, walked up and started shooting at the crowd. Cheryl was killed. Three other people were shot but ...
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Arrest: Police capture man suspected of killing marijuana dispensary employee
Police have made an arrest in connection with the shooting death of an employee at a medical marijuana dispensary in Echo Park.On June 24, Matthew Butcher, a 27-year-old white man, was working at Higher Path Holistic Care, a medical marijuana dispensary, when four assailants entered the facility about 4:15 p.m. At gunpoint, they ordered Butcher and another employee to lie face-down on the ground as they ransacked the dispensary for marijuana and money, police sources said.Although Butcher and the other ...
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Randal Cleaves II, 23 [Updated]
Randal Cleaves II, a 23-year-old black man, was fatally shot Monday, Aug. 9, near the 200 block of East 127th Street in Willowbrook, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Cleaves had just parked his car and was getting out of his vehicle about 10:40 p.m. when he was approached by a person and shot, said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office. Cleaves, shot in the chest, ran into a yard and collapsed, Winter said. Authorities were called ...
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Perry Young, 47 [Updated]
Perry Young, a 47-year-old black man, was found dead Monday, Aug. 9, near 27th Street and Maple Avenue in Historic South-Central, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.Young, who was homeless, was discovered lying on the sidewalk suffering from several stab wounds, according to coroner's records.He was pronounced dead at the scene.The Times has contacted homicide investigators about the case and will provide additional details as soon as information becomes available.[Updated at 2:04 p.m. Aug. 18: LAPD Det. Leonardo McKenzie, ...
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Jack Bezner, 71
Jack Bezner, a 71-year-old white man, was found stabbed to death Monday, Aug. 9, in the 4200 block of Arica Avenue in Rosemead, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Sheriff's deputies found Jack Bezner and his wife, Susan Bezner, a 64-year-old white woman, in their bed with multiple wounds to their upper torsos, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.The couple's Nissan was missing. As detectives conducted their investigation, they discovered that Rodolfo Lopez, 21, and his girlfriend, the ...
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Susan Bezner, 64
Susan Bezner, a 64-year-old white woman, was found fatally stabbed Monday, Aug. 9, in the 4200 block of Arica Avenue in Rosemead, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Sheriff's deputies found Susan Bezner and her husband, Jack, a 70-year-old white man, in their bed with multiple wounds to their upper torsos, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.The couple's Nissan was missing. As detectives conducted their investigation, they discovered that Rodolfo Lopez, 21, and his girlfriend, the couple's 14-year-old ...
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Jesse Muro, 15 [Updated]
Jesse Muro, a 15-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Tuesday, Aug. 10, in the 1100 block of 117th Street in Athens, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office, said Muro was shot about 1:30 p.m. and died 20 minutes later at the scene. It appears the shooting was gang-related, Winter said. The Times has contacted investigators to get more information about the shooting and will provide details as they become available. [Update August ...
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Ruben Galvan, 16
Ruben Galvan, a 16-year-old Latino, died Tuesday, Aug. 10, several hours after he was shot in the 3500 block of Beechwood Avenue in Lynwood, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Galvan was walking with friends on the sidewalk on Aug. 9 about 10:35 p.m. when he was approached by three people and shot, said Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office. Authorities were called, and Galvan was taken to St. Francis Medical Center where he died from his injuries ...
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Luis Sevilla, 36
Luis Sevilla, a 36-year-old Latino, was stabbed to death Tuesday, Aug. 10, in the 800 block of Watson Avenue in Wilmington, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Sevilla and his wife, Angelina Sevilla, began arguing shortly after 12:30 a.m. in a hotel room, the Los Angeles Police Department said.As the argument escalated, Angelina, a 28-year-old Latina, allegedly stabbed Luis several times in the chest, police said. He left in his car and crashed into a light pole and a ...
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Charles Burns III, 46
Charles Burns III, a 46-year-old white man, was shot to death Thursday, Aug. 12, in the 500 block of West Old Field Street in Lancaster, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Burns got into an altercation with his wife, Shannon Burns, about 3:25 p.m., said sheriff's homicide Det. Frank Salerno, who is handling the investigation. At some point in the fight, investigators said Shannon Burns, a 41-year-old white woman, armed herself with a gun. Authorities believe that her husband ...
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Ramiro Chavez, 18
Ramiro Chavez, an 18-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Saturday, Aug. 14, in the 500 block of Weber Street in Pomona, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. Authorities responded to a call of shots fired about 12:44 a.m., according to a Pomona Police Department news release. When officers arrived at the location, they found Chavez suffering from several gunshot wounds. The Los Angeles County Fire Department was called, and Chavez was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. People ...
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Times coverage: Gang members sentenced for infant's murder
Two 18th Street gang members were sentenced to life in prison Friday for the 2007 shooting death of a 23-day-old baby in MacArthur Park. On Sept. 15, Luis Garcia, was in his stroller being pushed by his mother near outdoor vendors close to 6th Street and Burlington Avenue when three gang members walked up and started shooting. Authorities said the men were targeting a vendor who refused to pay "rent."Luis was hit by a stray bullet and taken to California ...
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