Rosario Torres, a 1-year-old Latina, was stabbed to death Friday, Oct. 21, in the 13100 block of Van Owen in North Hollywood, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 11 a.m., Noe Torres, a 48-year-old Latino, stabbed his daughter in front of family members inside their apartment, said Los Angeles Police Capt. Stephen Carmona.

Torres then set a small fire, stabbed himself and jumped out a back window. When police arrived, a kitchen knife was still in his body.

Torres, who also had a knife in his waistband, refused to comply with officer’s commands, Carmona said.

Police subdued Torres with a Taser and beanbag rounds, Carmona said.

The girl was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Torres was charged Oct. 25 with one count of murder, one count of assault on a child causing death and one count of arson, according to a complaint filed in …

Continue reading »

Edgar Mayorga, a 29-year-old Latino male, died Friday, Oct. 21, after being shot in South Gate, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Jesse Lee Zamora, a 25-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Thursday, Oct. 20, in the 14000 block of Chamberlain Street in Pacoima, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 1:40 a.m., Zamora was standing next to his vehicle when he was shot, said Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Peteque.

Police are trying to determined if the assailant walked up to Zamora or shot from a car, Peteque said.

Zamora was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:55 a.m., according to coroner’s records.

Anyone with information is asked to call Peteque at (818) 374-1934. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

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

Cheng Long Wang, a 60-year-old Asian male, died Thursday, Oct. 20, after being stabbed in Diamond Bar, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Mei Chu Chung, a 57-year-old Asian female, died Thursday, Oct. 20, after being stabbed in Diamond Bar, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Orlando Guzman, a 27-year-old Latino male, died Thursday, Oct. 20, after being shot in Bell Gardens, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

James Jeter, a 42-year-old black male, died Thursday, Oct. 20, after being shot in East Compton, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Emmanuel Bravo, a 28-year-old Latino, was fatally stabbed Thursday, Oct. 20, at 301 N. Rossmore Avenue in Hancock Park, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 8:45 p.m., Bravo got into an argument with another employee at the Wilshire Country Club. The other employee pulled out a kitchen knife and stabbed Bravo, said LAPD Lt. John Radtke.

The stabbing led to the closure of the restaurant that evening, Radtke said. Multiple employees witnessed the stabbing, which was “traumatic,” Radtke said.

The suspect, later identified by police as Erick Antonio Hernandez, a 29-year-old Latino, was arrested on suspicion of murder the next day, Radtke said.

Hernandez was charged Oct. 25 with murder with the allegation that he used a knife and has pleaded not guilty, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Hernandez is due back in court Nov. 9.

The victim and suspect were involved in an …

Continue reading »

Meredith Ruth Dickson, a 24-year-old white woman, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the 11600 block of Valerio Street in Sun Valley, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

A neighbor of Dickson’s noticed that the woman and her boyfriend hadn’t been seen recently and spotted an excess of flies inside the second-story apartment so he called the building manager, who called police, said Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Peteque.

Police went inside the apartment and found Dickson, who had been shot to death, and her boyfriend, a 25-year-old man, on the bed with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Dickson was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:15 p.m., according to coroner’s records, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Police believe that the man shot Dickson, then shot himself. The two were inside the apartment for several weeks before they were discovered Peteque said.

The couple were college sweethearts …

Continue reading »

Derrick Devone Gould, a 26-year-old black man, was shot and killed Monday, Oct. 17, in the 1100 block of West Cressey Street in Compton, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.  

L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were near Gonzales Park Community Center about 5:45 p.m. when they heard gunshots in the park, said Sgt. Robert Martindale. 

When the deputies reached the park, they saw 50 to 60 people “dispersing in all directions,” Martindale said, apparently trying to get away from the gunshots. 

The deputies drove into the park and discovered Gould lying on a park bench. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:50 p.m., with gunshot wounds to his head and thigh, according to coroner records. 

Investigators believe Gould was part of the gathering, and that a fight preceded the gunfire, but they haven’t been able to get much more information because everyone scattered after the shooting, Martindale …

Continue reading »

William Orlando Perea, a 36-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Monday, Oct. 17, in the 1400 block of Mohawk Street in Echo Park, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Perea was riding his bicycle on Mohawk Street when he was gunned down, Los Angeles police Capt. Phillip Smith told residents at a meeting Friday. Police believe the shooter was probably in a moving vehicle because the three shell casings found at the scene were spaced out in a line.

Investigators do not believe Perea was a gang member. He may have been homeless and had a history of drug abuse, Smith said, so the killing could have been drug-related.

Several neighbors reported hearing four or five shots, but no one who saw the shooting has come forward, and there is no description of the shooter’s vehicle.

On the corner of Mohawk and Montana streets, a small memorial of flowers and …

Continue reading »

Tony Rodrick Welch, a 24-year-old black man, died Monday, Oct. 17, after he was shot in the 600 block of West Cherry Street in Compton, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Welch was sitting in his car with two friends on Sunday, Oct. 16, after pulling up to the curb outside one of their homes around 10 p.m., said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Jauch. 

Two men walked up to either side of the car and tried unsuccessfully to open the doors, Jauch said. The man on the driver’s side then began shooting through the windshield. 

Welch, who was in the driver’s seat, was struck in the head, Jauch said. His friend in the passenger seat was shot in the lower torso. The third person was in the back seat and was uninjured.

Welch and his friend were taken to a nearby hospital. The friend was treated for …

Continue reading »