Sergio Gutierrez, 50
Sergio Gutierrez, a 50-year-old Latino, was fatally stabbed Saturday, Sept. 20, in the 3700 block of Oaklawn Lane in Pico Rivera, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Shortly after 1:30 a.m., a woman called 911 to report a robbery. She said she had been attacked while sleeping and woke up to find her husband, Gutierrez, with stab wounds. The woman's 17-year-old son was also gone, said Lt. Holly Francisco with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Gutierrez was pronounced dead at a hospital at 2:17 a.m., said Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the coroner’s office.
Detectives asked for the public’s help in finding the son, Sergio Anthony Gutierrez, whom they wanted to question.
“We knew the son was there at the time of the incident, but we didn’t know he was involved,” Francisco said.
The next day, a person called 911 to report that they saw Gutierrez …
Rafaela Maria De Casas, 69
Rafaela Maria De Casas, a 69-year-old Latina, was found dead Saturday, Sept. 20, in the 3800 block of West 226th Street in Torrance, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Police went to an apartment in the area about 8:15 p.m. and found an "incoherent" man with self-inflicted wounds and a woman with what appeared to be stab wounds, said Torrance Police Sgt. Paul Kranke.
The woman, identified as De Casas, was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:18 p.m. said Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the coroner’s office.
The man, identified as De Casas’ son, Rudy De Casas, was taken to a hospital and is in police custody.
“I think he kind of took care of her,” Kranke said of the woman, who lived with her son and his wife.
Kranke said it is unknown whether De Casas was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at …
Magda Sayon Bermudez, 49
Magda Sayon Bermudez, a 49-year-old Latina, was fatally stabbed Saturday, Sept. 20, in the 38700 block of Third Street East in Palmdale, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Bermudez was discovered by her mother in a bedroom; she had stab wounds to the upper torso, according to authorities. Bermudez was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. at the scene.
Witnesses told L.A. County sheriff's deputies that Bermudez was fighting with her boyfriend earlier that day. Jose Martinez, a 36-year-old Latino, has been charged with one count of murder with the allegation that he used a knife.
Prosecutors allege that Martinez stabbed Bermudez then left the home with her vehicle.
Deputies arrested Martinez that day as he sat on a bus bench. He is being held on $2-million bail.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous can …
Teen, troubled by effects of gang violence, became a victim of it
About 3:30 one morning in June, 16-year-old Larry McKay logged in to Facebook to post a status update. It began, “Man life is crazy these days …”
He wrote about people dying, “people killing,” and “hoods going back and forth.”
“It’s not cool,” he wrote. “That’s somebody’s loved ones.”
He went on to say he had just watched a documentary on YouTube called “Why We Bang.” The 75-minute film examines gang life in Los Angeles.
McKay went on.
“And that just made me look at this gangbanging life real different, but the most crazy part is you don’t know what you getting yourself into … until it’s too late to get out of. But once you start you can’t stop. But remember you can always try to change.”
Less than a month later, on July 16, his mother, Lakisha Thomas, glanced outside her door and saw Larry McKay …
Community to march against violence Saturday
Hundreds of people are expected to take to the deadliest streets in Los Angeles County on Saturday morning for a peace march and resource fair.
The event is an effort by a group called the Vermont-Manchester Collaborative, a collective of law enforcement officers from the LAPD and the Sheriff’s Department, as well as religious, community, gang intervention and nonprofit groups. The group started after a January Los Angeles Times article about the deadliest area in the county and highlighted the area of South Vermont Avenue, sometimes called “death alley.”
The group aims to improve the quality of life in the surrounding area including West Florence Avenue on the north, West 120th Street on the south, South Van Ness Avenue on the west and the 110 Freeway on the east, said LAPD Capt. Peter Whittingham, who oversees the South Bureau’s homicide division.
He hopes the march will send multiple messages.
“One, …
Nathan Alexander Sanchez, 6
Nathan Alexander Sanchez, a 6-year-old Latino, was found dead Thursday, Sept. 18, in the 1600 block of East 88th Street in Florence-Firestone, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and family members.
Authorities said the child was found stabbed on a bed inside a small white trailer behind a home.
Concerned neighbors called 911 shortly after midnight because they heard a man yelling and screaming, said sheriff’s Lt. Eddie Hernandez. Once deputies arrived, they found 38-year-old Alejandro Sanchez-Santoyo, the boy's father, covered in blood in the frontyard and "speaking incoherently."
A neighbor directed authorities to the trailer, where they performed CPR on the child before paramedics arrived. The boy was taken to St. Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:39 a.m., said Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations with the coroner's office. A kitchen knife was recovered at the scene.
Hernandez said the father, who was …
James Henry Abney, 51
James Henry Abney a 51-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Thursday, Sept. 18, in the 7300 block of Florence Avenue in Downey, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Shortly before 2:30 a.m., the Downey Police Department received a call of a possible stabbing in an apartment, according to police statement.
Officers found Abney in the apartment suffering from stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:02 a.m.
Police said they detained a woman for questioning but it was unknown whether charges were filed. The Times has inquired with the department for more information.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Del Rio at (562) 904-2324 or Det. Steve Aubuchon at (562) 904-2361 with the Downey Police Department. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Donald Lee Heard, 54
Donald Lee Heard Jr., a 54-year-old black man, was shot and killed Wednesday, Sept. 17, in the 2600 block of Edgehill Drive in Jefferson Park, according to coroner’s records.
Shortly after 5 a.m., Heard and another man were on a walk when a dark sedan approached and a person inside fired a gun, said LAPD Lt. Jeff Nolte.
Heard was pronounced dead at 5:41 a.m. in the street, according to coroner’s records. The other man was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.
Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD’s Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (213) 485-4341. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Walnut woman sentenced to prison in stabbing death of husband
A 46-year-old Walnut woman was sentenced Sept. 9 to 20 years to life in state prison for stabbing her estranged husband to death, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Bruce Marrs also ordered the defendant to pay $8,112 to the victims compensation board and $9,902 to the victim’s family for funeral expenses.
A jury on May 12 found Socorro Mora guilty of killing her estranged husband several weeks after she fatally stabbed the family dog, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Taraneh Saba.
George Mora, a 47-year-old Latino, was stabbed to death Oct. 19, 2011, at a home in the 21600 block of Brookside Court in Walnut, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
Shortly before 9 a.m., deputies were called to the residence and found Socorra Mora in the frontyard with multiple stab wounds, according to L.A. County sheriff's officials.
When …
Juan Velasquez, 29
Juan Velasquez, a 29-year-old Latino male, died Tuesday, Sept. 16, in Broadway-Manchester, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's records.
Jose Manuel Valenzuela, 21
Jose Manuel Valenzuela, a 21-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Monday, Sept. 15, in the 2600 block of Sastre Avenue in El Monte, according to L.A. County coroner’s records.
Valenzuela and a 29-year-old Latino were in the back seat of a light-colored Nissan when a vehicle sped up behind them, said Lt. Dave Coleman, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Two men, described by witnesses as Latino, got out and fired into the Nissan, hitting Valenzuela and the 29-year-old, Coleman said.
“It appears that these two guys were targeted because they went right after them,” he said.
The two wounded men were then driven to a hospital by the other people in the Nissan. Valenzuela was pronounced dead at 12:30 a.m., said Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the coroner’s office.
The 29-year-old Latino was hospitalized in critical condition.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s …
Terence Ray Mayeaux, 46
Terence Ray Mayeaux, a 46-year-old black male, died Sunday, Sept. 14, after being stabbed in West Compton, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
Antwain McConnell, 30
Hector Ulises Robles, 43
Hector Ulises Robles, a 43-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Sunday, Sept. 14, in the 500 block of South Bernal Avenue in Boyle Heights, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
About 10:30 p.m., Robles was approached by a person who pulled out a gun and shot at him multiple times, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department. Detectives did not release a suspect description.
Officers in the area heard gunshots and found Robles, who was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene at 10:45 p.m.
Anyone with information is asked to call Hollenbeck Division Homicide detectives at (323) 342-8900. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.