The Homicide Report

Richard A. James, 23

Oct. 19, 2015

Richard James, a 23-year-old black man, died early Wednesday, Oct. 14, after he was shot in the 8400 block of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

James was standing with a group of people in the patio outside the Comedy Store when a black male wearing a hooded sweatshirt began shooting, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Steve Jauch.

Witnesses told KTLA-TV that at least six shots were fired. James was struck at least once in the upper torso and taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:36 a.m., according to coroner’s records.

James was not a California resident, but Jauch said he couldn't say more about where James lived or why he was in Los Angeles out of fear that it could hurt the investigation.

Jauch said investigators have little information about the shooter. He was last seen …

Gregory Joseph Feese, 48

By Jeanette Marantos

Oct. 19, 2015

Gregory Joseph Feese, a 48-year-old white man, was shot and killed Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the 19800 block of East Golden Bough Drive, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were called to a home in a residential area of unincorporated Ramona, near West Covina, about 2:28 a.m. regarding a family disturbance, said Lt. Steve Jauch.

When deputies arrived, Jauch said, the homeowner, a man in his 70s, said he had shot and killed his son, Feese, who also lived in the home.

The father told investigators that Feese broke into the residence through a large glass door and forced his way into his bedroom, Jauch said.

"The father produced a firearm and shot him," Jauch said. "I cannot go into any more details about what happened."

Neither Feese's father or mother, who was also present, were injured, Jauch said. Jauch said investigators are …

Second defendant pleads not guilty in shooting death of Venice man

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Oct. 13, 2015, 6:04 p.m.

A 28-year-old man alleged to be the shooter in the killing of a homeless man outside a Venice hotel has been charged with murder, authorities said.

Francisco Guzman, a Latino, pleaded not guilty Oct. 7 to one count of murder, one count of attempted murder and a count of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Guzman joins Sris Sinnathamby, 54, a hotelier, who has also been charged in the shooting death of Jascent-Jamal Lee Warren, 26. Both Sinnathamby and Guzman have pleaded not guilty.

Police said Sinnathamby got into a dispute with a group of homeless people camped around his hotel, located near Ocean Front Walk and Dudley Avenue.

The dispute escalated within minutes and police said that Guzman shot into a crowd of homeless people, injuring Warren and a man in his 40s.

Guzman was taken into custody Oct. …

Woman sentenced to life in prison for killing aunt

Oct. 12, 2015, 5:15 p.m.

A 62-year-old woman was sentenced Oct. 1 to life in prison without possibility of parole for robbing and fatally shooting her aunt, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

A jury on Sept. 8 found Barbara Jean Davenport, who is black, guilty of killing her aunt, 79-year-old Cleo Hughes.

The jury also found Davenport guilty of second-degree robbery as well as a special circumstance of murder during a robbery.

Hughes, a bookkeeper for a family restaurant, was fatally shot in her Harvard Park home on June 2, 2012.

After her son, an LAPD training officer, couldn’t reach Hughes by phone, he went to her home June 3 and found her body.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

Man convicted of killing boyfriend whose body parts were found in Griffith Park

Oct. 12, 2015, 5:05 p.m.

A 40-year-old man was convicted Oct. 1 in the 2011 slaying of his live-in boyfriend whose body parts were later found in Griffith Park near the Hollywood sign, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

A jury found Gabriel Campos-Martinez, a Latino man, guilty of killing 66-year-old Hervey Coronado Medellin, a retired airline ticketing agent. The jury deliberated for about a day and a half before delivering the verdict.

On Jan. 17, 2012, two women discovered Medellin’s head near the Hollywood sign in Griffith Park.

A day later, a right hand and feet were found in a Rite Aid bag buried in a 6-inch grave.

Prosecutors say Medellin was killed on or about Dec. 27, 2011, and died as a result of asphyxiation. Medellin wasn’t reported missing until Jan. 16, when detectives at LAPD’s Hollywood station received an anonymous tip that he hadn’t returned from a trip to …

Three sentenced in killing of mother on Christmas Day

Oct. 12, 2015, 11:59 a.m.

Three men were sentenced Oct. 2 in the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old woman in front of her 3-year-old daughter on Christmas Day five years ago, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Darnell Houston, 38, and Lamar McKnight, 28, were sentenced to life in state prison without the possibility of parole. Derrick Williams, 20, was given a 40-year-to life prison term. Houston, McKnight and Williams are all black men.

Ezekiel Simon, a 20-year-old man who was also involved with the crime, pleaded no contest to attempted murder and was sentenced in August to 29 years in prison.

On Dec. 25, 2010, Kashmier James was fatally shot while stopping to visit a friend in Manchester Square.

James’ daughter was sitting in the front seat of the car at the time of the shooting.

In August, all three men were convicted of one count each of first-degree murder and …

Man sentenced for killing brother in 2013 during family dispute

By Jeanette Marantos

Oct. 12, 2015, 11:08 a.m.

A 54-year-old man was sentenced Sept. 21 to 40 years to life in state prison for fatally shooting his younger half brother, Alonzo Darryn Lewis Jr., in their grandmother's Jefferson Park home two years ago.

Rodrick Clay Hall was convicted Jan. 28 of second-degree murder with the use of a firearm, said Greg Risling, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Hall, a Quartz Hill resident who is black, was originally charged with murder, Risling said.

Hall is accused of shooting his brother during a family dispute on June 15, 2013 at the home where Lewis lived with his grandmother.

Prosecutors said the strongest evidence for conviction was Hall's own statement to police that he shot his brother to protect their grandmother, Risling said. In addition, prosecutors presented physical and witness evidence.

In a lengthy tribute posted in November 2013 on Lewis' Homicide Report page, family members …

Tina Antero Lawrence, 47

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Oct. 15, 2015

Tina Antero Lawrence, a 47-year-old Latina, was shot and killed Sunday, Oct. 11, in the 3800 block of West 180th Place in Torrance, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 12:20 a.m., neighbors called police after hearing an argument and gunshots, said Sgt. Paul Kranke with the Torrance Police Department.

Investigators found that Lawrence and her 32-year-old live-in boyfriend had gotten into an argument, Kranke said. The man then pulled out a gun and shot Lawrence, then shot himself.

Lawrence was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:35 a.m.

Investigators determined that the boyfriend was mentally ill, hadn’t been taking his medication and accused his girlfriend of having an affair.

The weapon was registered to Lawrence, Kranke said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Torrance Police Detective Division at (310) 618-5570. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide …

George Louis Martinez Jr., 19

By Jeanette Marantos

Oct. 19, 2015

George Louis Martinez Jr., a 19-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Saturday, Oct. 10, in the 6000 block of Kester Avenue in Van Nuys, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Los Angeles Police Department officers were called about 10:50 p.m. to investigate a shooting in front of the Uncle Rehearsal Studios, according to a department news release.

The officers found Martinez on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound in his torso, according to coroner's records. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:02 p.m.

Witnesses reported that Martinez was standing on the sidewalk in front of the business with some other people when an unidentified Latino walked up to him and began shooting.

The man ran from the scene before officers arrived, according to the news release.

The motive for the shooting is unknown, investigators said. Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD Van Nuys detectives at …

Ruben Wharton Vanegas, 35

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Oct. 22, 2015

Ruben Wharton Vanegas, a 35-year-old Latino, died after he was struck by a SUV on Thursday Oct. 15 in the 3800 block of South Vermont Avenue in Exposition Park, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Shortly before 9 a.m., Vanegas was riding his bike north on South Vermont Avenue when he came into contact with a light-colored SUV that had to pull to the right to stay away from the bike, said LAPD Det. Dave Garrido.

Vanegas and the driver of the SUV got into an argument, then the SUV accelerated and dragged Vanegas’ body about 100 feet, authorities said.

Vanegas was pronounced dead at 9:03 a.m. at the scene, according to coroner’s records.

The coroner’s office ruled the death a homicide due to “multiple blunt trauma injuries,” said Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the coroner’s office.

Andrew Williams, a 32-year-old black man, was charged Nov. 4 …

$50,000 reward offered in 2012 killing of mother of three

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Oct. 9, 2015, 7:41 p.m.

Suzanna Reyes was the first to get the call about her mother.

Reyes, now 38, picked up the phone at 10:15 p.m. nearly three years ago. A family friend who lived in her mother’s neighborhood told her that her mother had been shot. Reyes and her grandmother rushed to the hospital.

About 9:40 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2012, police found Reyes’ mother, Lorri Anderson, 51, on the sidewalk near West 8th and South Coronado streets in Westlake suffering from gunshot wounds. Anderson would later die at a hospital.

On Thursday, Councilman Gil Cedillo asked for the public’s help in finding Anderson’s killer and announced a $50,000 reward.

“I get the sense that somebody saw somebody,” he said.

The last time Reyes saw her mother was the weekend before she was shot. Reyes was pregnant with her second child, and visited her mother at her Westlake apartment to show her an …

Man charged in South Whittier stabbing death

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Oct. 9, 2015, 3:22 p.m.

Prosecutors on Friday charged a 53-year-old Pico Rivera man in the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

George Luis Delgado, a Latino, was charged with one count of murder with the allegation that he used a knife, prosecutors said.

On Sept. 26, Delgado allegedly went to his ex’s home in South Whittier and confronted the woman and her new boyfriend, 43-year-old Tyrone Duran.

Duran left the area but came back and got into a fight with Delgado, prosecutors said.

During the fight, Delgado allegedly stabbed Duran, who was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Delgado was arrested on suspicion of murder Oct. 7.

According to prosecutors, Delgado was previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 2006 and in 2014. In 2009, he was convicted of petty theft.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide …

Man sentenced to 50 years to life in killing of infant daughter

Oct. 9, 2015, 2:58 p.m.

A Newhall man was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years to life in state prison for killing his 19-day-old daughter, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Matthew Brendan Warner, a 30-year-old white man, plead no contest Sept. 2 to one count of first-degree murder for killing his newborn daughter, Ellorah Rose Warner.

Matthew Warner killed his daughter in their home Jan. 23 while the child's mother was at work, prosecutors said.

Matthew Warner said the newborn had been kidnapped and a search began for Ellorah Warner. He later led authorities to the infant’s body, which he had hidden in the cab of his truck in a nearby parking lot.

Contact the Homicide Report.

Man sentenced to 75 years to life for drive-by-shooting murder of a Compton grandfather

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Oct. 9, 2015, 2:11 p.m.

A 21-year-old gang member was sentenced Sept. 16 to 75 years to life in prison for shooting an 84-year-old grandfather as he slept in the bedroom of his Compton home.

Brian Alonzo Sawyers, who is black, was found guilty June 19 of six felonies, including three counts of attempted murder, two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling and one count of murder, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

Prosecutors said that before the shooting, Sawyers, a documented Acacia Spooktown Farmdogs gang member, got into a fight with a rival gang member from Nutty Block.

A week later, on July 25, 2013, Sawyers was the back passenger in a dark-colored sedan and drove by Thomas Dunbar’s home in the 1000 block of Northwood Avenue in Compton. He shot at the home, targeting a rival gang member who was walking up to the door, said Sgt. Troy Ewing, …

Mystery surrounds shooting of 22-year-old Carson man

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Oct. 8, 2015, 2:05 p.m.

About 9:45 p.m. Sept. 9, Joseph “Joey” Galvan left church, went home to change, then walked to a bus stop with a friend.

The friend went on to a convenience store, but Galvan stayed. He was due at work for the night shift at a warehouse in Compton.

At the bus stop, a man approached Galvan, and there was a brief struggle. The assailant pulled out a gun and shot Galvan, 22, in the head. He was just two blocks from his home. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials said it’s unknown why Galvan was shot.

On a recent weekend, people from his church and other houses of worship around Los Angeles County walked the streets of Carson to bring attention to Galvan’s death.

The group marched with “Stop the violence” posters and photographs of Galvan. During the walk, one woman pointed out the blue bus bench where Galvan was …

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