The Homicide Report

High schooler to stand trial in Gardena shooting death of 18-year-old

March 30, 2016, 6:15 p.m.

A high school student accused of fatally shooting an 18-year-old in Gardena last year will stand trial in the killing, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled Monday.

Judge Dudley W. Gray II said there was sufficient evidence to try Jordan Emon Joseph, 18, in the June 26, 2015, shooting that killed Kody Cook as he sat in his car outside a Baskin-Robbins store in Gardena, less than half a mile from his home.

When Joseph was taken into custody in July, he was charged as a juvenile. On Jan. 13, a judge ruled that Joseph should be moved out of juvenile court because of the severity of the crime, said his defense attorney J. Tooson.

"Obviously, we disagreed," Tooson said. “Our hearts go out to the Cook family in this process … but the appropriate venue should have been juvenile court, not only because of [Joseph's] age but …

Man sentenced in 2005 Watts killing and 2014 domestic assault

March 30, 2016, 2:57 p.m.

A man was sentenced on March 15 to 53 years in state prison for the murder of an acquaintance more than a decade ago and for assaulting his girlfriend in 2014, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

On Feb. 18, a jury found Allis Troy Coleman, 44, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Semaj Henry in 2005.

Coleman was also found guilty on four other counts: assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, making criminal threats, and possession of ammunition. Jurors also found true a special allegation that the defendant used a handgun to commit the murder.

Coleman was initially prosecuted for the domestic violence case involving his girlfriend, according to prosecutors.

On May 24, 2014, Coleman visited his girlfriend’s home and began to beat her, prosecutors said. Coleman then pulled out a handgun and made threats, according to court testimony. …

Angel Montion, 33

By Jeanette Marantos

April 13, 2016

Angel Montion, a 33-year-old Latino, was shot and killed by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy on Wednesday, March 30, in the 6400 block of Northside Drive in East Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner records.

Montion was a suspect in a March 19 kidnapping and assault that happened about 9:50 a.m. on Saturday, March 19, in the 300 block of North Rowan Avenue in East Los Angeles said Lt. Joe Mendoza. A surveillance camera captured part of the the kidnapping, and the video has been widely circulated.

In the video, a man in a dark shirt holding a gun strikes a man wearing a light shirt in the head, knocking him to the sidewalk. When the victim stumbles to his feet, he tries to escape into a business, but the gunman runs after him with his weapon drawn and then walks him out of the …

Joseph Walter Moser, 46

June 4, 2016

Joseph Walter Moser, a 46-year-old white man, was fatally shot Wednesday, March 30, in the 1600 block of Pine Avenue in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

For the Record:

3:15 p.m.: Oct. 8, 2016: An earlier version of this post stated that Moser was black. He is white.

About 11 p.m., Long Beach police responded to a shooting call, according to a police news release. When officers arrived, they found Moser with gunshot wounds to the chest, police said. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:28 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

Detectives believe Moser was approached by two black men and shot several times, the release said. The attackers fled eastbound on 16th Street, police said. The motive for the shooting is unknown.

Anyone with information is asked to call Long Beach detectives at (562) 570-7244. Those who wish …

Amier Rocky Issa, 38

By Marisa Gerber, Nicole Santa Cruz and Richard Winton

April 18, 2016

Amier Rocky Issa, a 38-year-old man of Middle Eastern descent, was shot and killed Tuesday, March 29, in the 15000 block of Rayen Street in North Hills, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Shortly before 9 a.m., Issa got into an altercation with his father, who allegedly pulled out a gun and shot him, police said. Issa was found in the front yard of the family home and his mother, Rabihah Issa, 68, was found inside the home, fatally stabbed.

Prosecutors charged Shehada Issa, 69, with one count of murder in his son’s death. Police said he admitted to shooting his son with a shotgun, but explained that it was in self-defense. Issa told police that he had heard noises inside the home and, suspecting a burglar, grabbed a shotgun only to find himself confronted by his son, Amier, who he said threatened him with a knife.

The district …

Rabihah Shibli Issa, 68

By Marisa Gerber, Nicole Santa Cruz and Richard Winton

April 18, 2016

Rabihah Shibli Issa, a 68-year-old woman of Middle Eastern descent, was found dead Tuesday, March 29, in the 15000 block of Rayen Street in North Hills, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Shortly before 9 a.m., Rabihah Issa’s son, Amier Issa, got into an altercation with his father, who allegedly pulled out a gun and shot him, police said. Issa was found in the front yard of the family home, while Rabihah Issa was found inside the home, fatally stabbed.

Prosecutors charged Shehada Issa, 69, with one count of murder in his son’s death. Police said he admitted to shooting his son with a shotgun, but explained that it was in self-defense.

Issa told police that he had heard noises inside the home and, suspecting a burglar, grabbed a shotgun only to find himself confronted by his son, Amier, who he said threatened him with a knife.

The district …

Earnest Clifton Hodge, 52

By Nicole Santa Cruz

April 18, 2016

Earnest Clifton Hodge, a 52-year-old black man, was fatally shot Tuesday, March 29, in the 10600 block of Figueroa Street in Vermont Vista, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 8:45 p.m., Hodge was walking south on South Figueroa with a woman when a black sedan driving the same direction pulled up next to him, said Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Garrido. A person began shooting from inside the vehicle, then fled.

Hodge was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:02 p.m., according to coroner’s records. The woman was not injured.

The suspect is believed to be a black man in his 30s, Garrido said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5111. Those who wish to remain anonymous can Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

Jermaine Durley, 38

By Nicole Santa Cruz

March 30, 2016

Jermaine Durley, a 38-year-old black man, was shot and killed Sunday, March 27, in the 8300 block of South Main Street in Florence, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Shortly after 7:15 a.m., Durley and a 21-year-old man were standing outside an apartment complex when a person approached and shot them, said Los Angeles police Det. Chris Barling.

Durley and the man were taken to a hospital, where Durley was pronounced dead at 8:15 a.m., according to coroner's records.

The other victim is expected to survive.

Based on the preliminary investigation, police believe a car was involved but are still trying to determine what the car looked like.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5113. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

Aiden Matthew Lopez

By Jeanette Marantos

March 29, 2016

Aiden Matthew Lopez, a 5-month-old Latino, died Saturday, March 26, after he was beaten in the 43400 block of Gadsden Avenue in Lancaster, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

On March 22, the baby's parents left for work and left him in the care of a family friend who had been working as their babysitter for about eight weeks, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Eddie Hernandez.

When the baby’s mother came home from work about 6 p.m., the babysitter asked her to come look at the boy and said, “I don’t think he’s breathing,” Hernandez said.

The mother grabbed her son and called 911, Hernandez said. The baby was taken to a hospital and treated for serious head trauma, bruising on his upper torso and a possible broken arm, Hernandez said.

He was pronounced dead four days later at 12:50 a.m., according to coroner’s records. Investigators have placed a …

Vallan Clinton Gavilan Jr., 21

By Nicole Santa Cruz

March 30, 2016

Vallan Clinton Gavilan Jr., a 21-year-old black man, was shot and killed Saturday, March 26, in the 400 block of West 87th Street in Vermont Vista, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 8:15 p.m., Gavilan was standing near his Chevy Malibu when a person drove by and fired multiple rounds, said Los Angeles police Det. Rick Gordon.

Gavilan was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:47 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

Police believe the gunman fled south on South Flower Street in a light-colored vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5111. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

Darnell Washington, 19

April 18, 2016

Darnell Washington, a 19-year-old black man, was shot and killed Friday, March 25, near East Century Boulevard and South San Pedro Street in Broadway-Manchester, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 11:50 p.m., three armed males approached a taco stand and tried to rob it, authorities said. One of the taco stand employees was also armed “and he defended himself,” firing multiple gunshots at the robbers, LAPD Sgt. M. Mason told The Times.

Washington, one of the robbery suspects, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The two other suspects fled the scene and are being sought, Mason said.

The employee who opened fire was not arrested pending further investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5111. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on …

Man convicted of two murders during a series of robberies in 2011

March 25, 2016, 2:18 p.m.

A 31-year-old man was convicted March 11 in a Mid-City robbery binge in 2011 that left two men dead, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Jabaar Vincent Thomas, a black man, was found guilty of two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Marcelo Aragon, 35, and Gabriel Aron Ben-Meir, 30, during a series of robberies over two weeks.

The jury also convicted Thomas of five counts of second-degree robbery, three counts of attempted robbery, and one count of a felon in possession of a firearm, according to prosecutors.

Jurors will return to court on March 22 to begin the penalty phase.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Thomas committed the murders and robberies around the Mid-City area during the summer of 2011.

Aragon was killed on April 30, 2011, in front of a residence in Pico-Union, prosecutors said. He suffered several gunshot wounds and died …

Compton gang member convicted of killing man in 2014 drive-by shooting

March 25, 2016, 2:07 p.m.

A gang member was convicted March 9 in the killing of a 31-year-old man and shooting at a rival gang member in 2014, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

After a day of deliberations, a jury found Michael Angelo Daniel, a 37-year-old black man, guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of David Jerome Scott, 31. Daniel was also convicted of attempted murder, prosecutors said.

Jurors found true a special allegation that the killing was committed for the benefit of a gang. In addition, gun allegations were found true.

On May 21, 2014, Scott, and a 44-year-old man were standing outside of a house in the 1100 block of East Bennett Street in Compton when they were shot during a drive-by shooting, prosecutors said.

Scott was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:13 p.m., according to coroner’s records. The second victim survived, …

Man convicted of 2010 quadruple killing in Valley Village

By Richard Winton

March 25, 2016, 1:58 p.m.

A jury last week convicted a man of killing four people when he fired more than 50 shots inside a Valley Village restaurant during a memorial gathering in 2010, officials said.

The jury of nine men and three women found Nerses Arthur Galstyan guilty of two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of multiple murders, as well as one count of second-degree murder, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

The special circumstances conviction will allow prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty, to ask the same jury to begin the penalty phase of the trial. The jury is scheduled to return March 28.

Galstyan opened fire in the Hot Spot Mediterranean restaurant on Riverside Drive on April 3, 2010. Hayk Yegnanyan, 25; Vardan Tofalyan, 31; Sarkis Karadjian, 26; and Harut Baburyan, 28, were killed.

In addition to the murder convictions, jurors found Galstyan guilty of …

Long Beach police identify officer who killed knife-wielding man in December

By Jeanette Marantos

March 25, 2016, 12:30 p.m.

The Long Beach Police Department has identified the officer who shot and killed 39-year-old Mharloun Verdejo Saycon inside a game arcade on Dec. 14, 2015.

Saycon was allegedly holding a knife that he refused to put down when he was shot by patrol Officer Vuong Nguyen, a 14-year veteran of the force.

The department's investigation into the shooting is ongoing, said Sgt. Byron Blair.

Nguyen has returned to his patrol duties, Blair said. According to the department's online officer involved shooting investigation process, "before returning to duty, the involved officer must visit and be cleared by a psychologist to ensure that he or she is mentally prepared and fit to return to full duty."

Five people have been killed by Long Beach police officers over the past 12 months. The department identified Nguyen on March 22, after The Times filed a request under the California Public Records Act.

As …

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