Felix Melkumov, 39
Felix Melkumov, a 39-year-old white male, died Wednesday, Dec. 14, after being shot in Valley Glen, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
Daniel David Garza, 43
Daniel David Garza, 43-year-old Latino, was shot to death Wednesday, Dec. 14, in the 1200 block of East Mission Boulevard in Pomona, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
About 2 a.m., Pomona police received a call about gunshots being fired near the Back Door Cocktail Lounge, according to Sgt. Brian Hagerty. Officers found Garza and a woman with multiple gunshot wounds, Hagerty said.
Garza was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:10 a.m., according to coroner’s records. The woman was taken to a hospital and was later released.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Pomona Police Department at (909) 622-1241 or (909) 620-2085. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.
Davion Craig Gregory, 24
Davion Gregory, a 24-year-old black man, died Sunday, Dec. 11, after he was shot in the 100 block of West Victoria Street in Carson, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Gregory and two other men were walking toward the entrance of a warehouse about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, where people had gathered for what was billed as a “Naughty or Nice Pajama Jam” on social media, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Richard Biddle.
As they walked up the driveway, at least one person began shooting, striking Gregory and the two men near him, Biddle said. Investigators believe the three men were friends who planned to attend the party.
The three were taken to a nearby hospital, where Gregory was pronounced dead at 1:51 a.m., according to coroner’s records. His friends were treated for their injuries and released, said Sgt. Bill Cotter.
The event, which included security …
Antonio Bonilla, 43
Antonio Bonilla, a 43-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Saturday, Dec. 10, in the 7600 block of South Main Street in Florence, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Shortly after 10:30 a.m., Bonilla and another man, Juan Martinez-Gonzalez, 33, were talking in an alley when a light-colored SUV pulled up, said Los Angeles Police Det. Chris Barling. A person got out of the vehicle, shot at the two men and fled, Barling said.
Bonilla and Martinez-Gonzalez were pronounced dead at the scene at 10:45 a.m., according to coroner's records.
The men were not documented gang members, and Barling said police are trying to determine why they were shot.
The SUV was last seen driving southbound on South Main Street, Barling said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD's Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5113. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) …
Juan Bernardo Martinez-Gonzalez, 33
Juan Bernardo Martinez-Gonzalez, a 33-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Saturday, Dec. 10, in the 7600 block of South Main Street in Florence, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Shortly after 10:30 a.m., Martinez-Gonzalez and another man, Antonio Bonilla, 43, were talking in an alley when a light-colored SUV pulled up, said Los Angeles Police Det. Chris Barling. A person got out of the vehicle, shot at the two men and fled, Barling said.
Bonilla and Martinez-Gonzalez were pronounced dead at the scene at 10:45 a.m. The men were not documented gang members, and Barling said police are trying to determine why they were shot.
The SUV was last seen driving southbound on South Main Street, Barling said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD's Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5113. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Contact the …
Tyrone Davis, 16
Tyrone Davis, a 16-year-old black teenager, was fatally shot Saturday, Dec. 10, in the 1700 block of West 58th Street in Harvard Park, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
About 6:30 p.m., Davis and a friend left the Slauson Super Mall and were walking along West 58th Street when a vehicle pulled alongside them, said Los Angeles Police Det. Chris Barling.
Multiple people got out of the car, described as a light-colored sedan, and shot at the teenagers. The sedan was then driven away eastbound on West 58th Street.
Davis was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:38 p.m., according to coroner’s records.
His friend, a 17-year-old, was also struck, but he is expected to survive. A 25-year-old Latino who was standing nearby was also hospitalized but will recover.
So far, police believe the incident is connected to gang activity because “gang slogans” were exchanged before the shooting, Barling …
Alejandro Perez, 56
Alejandro Perez, a 56-year-old Latino male, died Saturday, Dec. 10, after sustaining blunt force trauma in Wilmington, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
Gloria Montes Jr., 41
Gloria Montes Jr., a 41-year-old Latino female, died Saturday, Dec. 10, after being shot in Pico Rivera, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
Valley families gather to remember homicide victims: 'It's like we are still expecting him'
Joy Cuevas picked out a red sparkling Christmas tree ornament this week in honor of her slain brother, 46-year-old Sam Cuevas. She chose red because her brother’s favorite baseball team was the Angels. And the glitter reminds her of the sparkle in his eye when he smiled.
On Wednesday, she placed the ornament on a tree in the lobby of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Mission Division station as part of an inaugural tree-trimming event for families of homicide victims. For years, the 77th Street Division in South L.A. has hosted a similar event, but this year was a first for families in the San Fernando Valley.
For Joy Cuevas and dozens of others, the night was sometimes painful as they spoke of their loved ones and how their feelings of loss have intensified during the holiday season.
Sam Cuevas, for example, loved Thanksgiving and the abundant leftovers for …
Gilbert Ochoa Jr., 43
Gilbert Ochoa, a 43-year-old Latino, died Friday, Dec. 9, after he was stabbed in the 4000 block of Harlan Avenue in Baldwin Park, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Ochoa was talking with a neighbor in the neighbor's driveway a little after midnight when one of the neighbor’s tenants came outside and instigated an argument, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza.
The argument grew into a physical fight, and Ochoa struck the tenant with a metal pipe, Mendoza said.
The tenant then wrested the pipe away from Ochoa, struck him with it and stabbed him, Mendoza said.
Ochoa was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:10 a.m., according to coroner’s records.
The tenant, identified as Steven Barron, 54, remained at the scene, Mendoza said, and was treated for a broken forearm. He was then arrested on suspicion of murder.
On Dec. 13, Barron was charged with one count …
Christopher Javier Saucedo, 18
Christopher Saucedo, an 18-year-old Latino, died Saturday, Dec. 10, after he was shot in the 800 block of West 41st Street in Vermont Square, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
About 12:45 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 9, Saucedo and two Latinos were driving in a gray Toyota Camry when they encountered another group of men, said Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Garrido.
The two exchanged words regarding gang affiliation, then the driver of the sedan began to speed away. A person in the road pulled out a gun and fired into the vehicle, striking Saucedo.
Saucedo was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead Dec. 10 at 9:43 p.m., according to coroner’s records.
Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5110. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Contact the Homicide Report. Follow …
Van Nuys man sentenced in stabbing death of transgender woman
A Van Nuys man was sentenced Dec. 1 to 12 years and eight months in prison for killing his partner in their apartment and then setting a fire, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
On Oct. 19, Ezekiel Jamal Dear, who is 27 and black, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of Yasmin Vash Payne, a 33-year-old transgender black woman.
On Jan. 15, 2015, about 5 a.m., firefighters responded to a call of a fire. They forced entry into an apartment and extinguished a small blaze in a back bedroom. Payne was found with multiple stab wounds on the kitchen floor of the apartment and was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:30 a.m., according to coroner’s records. The next day, Dear turned himself in, accompanied by a pastor, at a South Los Angeles police station.
Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on …
Aaron David Whatley, 43
Aaron David Whatley, a 43-year-old white man, was stabbed to death Thursday, Dec. 8, in the 4900 block of Ferro Court in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
About 6:30 a.m., Long Beach police were called about a stabbing, according to a news release. Officers found Whatley, who had been stabbed in the chest.
Whatley was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:04 a.m., according to coroner’s records.
A man at the scene was detained, but police released him pending further investigation, a spokeswoman said. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information can call Long Beach police detectives at (562) 570-7244. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.
Gang member who testified against others is sentenced in killing of teenager over red shoes
A third gang member was sentenced Wednesday in the killing of Tavin Price, 19, in front of his mother at a Hyde Park car wash in 2015.
As part of a plea deal, Dwight Smith was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for voluntary manslaughter and a gun allegation. In exchange, he testified against two other gang members, Kanasho Shadrick Johns, 29, and Kevin Deon Johnson, 26, who were sentenced last week.
Jennifer Rivers, Price's mother, thanked Smith for testifying against the other two men. She knew that Smith has been beaten while in jail and that he could experience further violence behind bars.
"In the end, he did the right thing, so I can't really say much to him," Rivers said after the hearing. "I'll just pray for him and hope he gets protective custody."
Smith's mother, Gloria Ayers, told Rivers after the hearing that she was sorry her son …
Jonixer Chavez-Ramirez, 24
Jonixer Chavez-Ramirez, a 24-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Monday, Nov. 28, in the 4400 block of Sinova Street in Montecito Heights, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records and police.
Shortly before 7:30 p.m., Chavez-Ramirez was standing with a group of friends in the driveway of a home when two rounds were fired, said Los Angeles Police Det. Jose Ramirez.
Chavez-Ramirez was struck once and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to coroner’s records.
Detectives said they don't know whether the shots were fired by a person on foot or in a vehicle.
So far, Ramirez said, there’s nothing to indicate why Chavez-Ramirez would be targeted, as he and his friends had “no association whatsoever” with street gangs.
“It’s a big whodunit,” he said. Police are looking for additional witnesses.
Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD's Hollenbeck homicide detectives at (323) 342-8960. Those who …