Eric Anthony Acosta, 36

Nov. 3, 2009, 2:45 p.m.

Eric Acosta, a 36-year-old Latino, was stabbed Oct. 31 at North Figueroa Street and Avenue 61 in Highland Park. He died on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at a hospital, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office, said Acosta and another victim were stabbed about 2:29 a.m. on Halloween. The second victim, who was not identified, survived the attack.

-- Anthony Pesce

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21 reader comments

I met Eric in elementary, we both shared the name Erick except mine had a k at the end, he was a great friend, I actually named my son after him (his middle name) Anthony. We drifted apart after Jr high, I have the same memories Darian C. has , the walks after school sharing chips drinking 35 cents sodas from the corner store on our way home. The other night dreamt with Eric;after all these years I dreamt with him, and out of the blues another friend who I haven’t talked to in years contacted me and we both started reminiscing about the good old days and we both wondered about Eric , and A few days later he contacted me again and I learned about the Halloween night tragedy . After all these years I feel that my friend came and said his goodbyes. I love you bro. I will never forget you, my kids know about you cause you’ll always be my best friend

Erick R.

— Erick R. July 17, 2018 at 1:17 p.m.

Eric, baby brother, best friend, and so much more! We shared many good times eating out at restaurants, shopping, yes Eric would endure the hours of shopping at the mall going from store to store. I enjoyed just sitting and talking and laughing with him. His smile would always melt away your troubles. He always had a big hug and kiss when he greeted you and when he said goodbye. He was a very special young man who is greatly missed by us all.
"LOVE LIVES ON" THOSE WE LOVE REMAIN WITH US FOR LOVE ITSELF LIVES ON, AND CHERISHED MEMORIES NEVER FADE, BECAUSE A LOVED ONE'S GONE. THOSE WE LOVE CAN NEVER BE MORE THAN A THOUGHT APART, FOR AS LONG AS THERE ARE MEMORIES, THEY'LL LIVE ON IN OUR HEART.
Love,Hugs & Kisses Always, Sylvia

— Sylvia March 4, 2010 at 1:12 p.m.

As a kid you meet and make a lot of friends at school, in the neighborhood, but a lot of friends were made at El Sereno Park. The thing about making friends at El Sereno Park was that you didn’t know if your friendship would only last one season. But there is something about being apart of a team that creates a strong bond. For our team, we would see each other about 5 to 6 days out of the week; practice and games. It came to a point where we would see each other more than some family members; as a result, we became family. I met Eric in 1985 as {we} Eric, Sal and I were apart of the Cubs.
Eric was a great competitor and he was the type of player that did not complain, even when he had blood blisters on his index finder. I enjoyed being his catcher due to his competitive nature. Whether the pitch I called was up and in, low and inside, down the middle or we just did not like a kid, he always threw what I called and we both enjoyed that. The thing that Eric would do that I thought was very funny, was after every pitch, he would adjust his hat and tuck in his hair, always making sure that he looked good for the next pitch. That drove our coaches {my dad and my uncle} crazy.
At El Sereno Junior High, we kept up with the trends: it was tight tucked in pants, knit sweaters from Mervyns, turtle necks, collared shirts with colored muscle shirts, Reeboks with the straps, and of course you can not forget the hair. Eric always had the perfect hair and we all wondered, why? Well, stored in his locker, he always had gel, Aqua Net (unscented, super-hold, or ultra-hold), a mirror and a few brushes. His locker became our refreshing zone.
During High School we drifted apart, and I have always wondered how that happened. When we began to talk to again, we really never spoke too much about high school. It wasn’t a big deal to him. What mattered most was that we never forgot each other and because of this we were able to continue our friendship and create new memories.
Eric was always there. When I was in school at San Diego State, he was there visiting. When I needed to go to my graduation practice and I did not want to go alone, he was there. When I had a family function, party or barbeque, he was there. When I needed a ride in the early morning hours, he was there. When we needed a vehicle to go to Ensenada, he was there. When we played softball on Thanksgiving morning, he was there. When I had extra Dodgers tickets, he was there. When we moved to Glendora, he was there. When we went to our last USC game, he was there. And when I couldn’t finish my beer, he was there.
Eric was an overall great person; he enjoyed life and always wanted the best for everyone. The bond that he created with me and many others will never be forgotten. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to share a brotherhood with him. I will always cherish the wonderful memories that we shared with family and friends.

— BEN March 1, 2010 at 8:37 p.m.