The Homicide Report

Fourth gang member convicted in 2010 Christmas Day murder

Aug. 11, 2015, 3:21 p.m.

The final defendant in the 2010 Christmas Day killing of a mother in front of her 3-year-old daughter was convicted of murder late Monday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Kashmier James, 25, had celebrated the holiday with family members before stopping in the 1700 block of West 85th Street in Manchester Square to visit a high school friend. She was standing outside her car, talking to the friend, about 10:20 p.m., when she was shot in the head. Her daughter was still in the car.

Derrick Williams, 20, was convicted Monday of murder and attempted murder with gang and gun allegations. Last week, a jury also found Darnell Houston, 38, and Lamar McKnight, 28, guilty of special circumstance murder and attempted murder with gang and gun allegations, prosecutors said. In May, Ezekiel Simon, 20, pleaded no contest to the same charges.

The night of the …

We've made changes to the map on the Homicide Report

Aug. 11, 2015, 12:45 p.m.

Today you'll notice that we've changed the look and functionality of the Homicide Report's map. This is part of a series of improvements we're making to the site, based in part on readers' feedback.

The first change you'll see is that the old "clusters" (at left in the image above) have been replaced by orange markers for each incident. This offers a more accurate representation of where killings occur in Los Angeles County. There are more than 14,000 homicides going back to 2000 in our database, so when you select "All years" in the filters, you may notice that the map becomes sluggish in your Web browser. Plotting that many points is hard on browsers, but we're looking for ways to improve the speed.

You'll also notice that as you filter -- by age, race, cause and other categories -- homicides that do not fall within the selected filters will …

One avenue for transparency in police shootings may be making a comeback

Aug. 11, 2015, 10:07 a.m.

The Times' Doug Smith on Monday examined the history -- and future -- of coroner's inquests into police shootings in Los Angeles County. With the renewed attention on fatal encounters between police and civilians, the idea may be in the early stages of making a comeback.

Smith writes:

Now, with frustration boiling in Los Angeles as well as cities such as Ferguson and Baltimore over the handling of killings by police, some legal analysts and public officials are asking whether the inquest — or a modified form of it — could be revived as a vehicle to increase public access to information.

At the urging of County Medical Examiner-Coroner Mark A. Fajardo, who reviewed all police shootings in his job as Riverside County coroner, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors has asked key agency heads to rethink the review process with an eye to increasing transparency.

Fajardo, who became L.A.’s …

Desiree Veronica Ramirez, 31

By Jerome Campbell

Aug. 29, 2015

An 18-year-old Latino man was arrested and charged in the shooting of Desiree Veronica Ramirez, a 31-year-old Latina, in Mount Washington, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Alexis Madera was booked on suspicion of murder Aug. 11, the same day as the shooting. His bail was set at $1.2 million.

Madera was formally charged and is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 8.

Police responded to a call about a shooting before 3 a.m. Aug. 11 in the 3200 block of Isabel Drive. Officers found Ramirez inside her car with a fatal gunshot wound.

Madera was one of four people initially detained after the killing.

Contact the Homicide Report. And follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

Robert Anthony McCaskill, 60

By Nicole Santa Cruz

Aug. 31, 2015

Robert Anthony McCaskill, a 60-year-old black man, was shot and killed Tuesday, Aug. 11, near East 5th and San Julian streets in downtown, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 1:44 a.m., police found McCaskill wounded on the sidewalk in the area, LAPD Det. Brian Putnam said.

Shortly before police arrived, there was a dispute between a 23-year-old man and two others. The two men pulled out guns and fired at the 23-year-old but also wounded McCaskill, who was not involved in the dispute, Putnam said.

McCaskill was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics at 1:52 a.m., according to coroner’s records.

“The deceased, it appears, was caught in the crossfire,” Putnam said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Putnam at (213) 996-1889. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

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

Responding to reader requests about the Homicide Report

Aug. 10, 2015, 1:17 p.m.

A few weeks ago, we asked readers what changes you would like to see on the Homicide Report. We heard from many of you, which is great, and we wanted to let you know what changes are already underway and what is planned.

One of the overwhelming requests you had was for photos of victims. One person wrote: "WE WANT PHOTOS!!! Please provide photos for as many victims as you can."

Photos can be key to humanizing victims on the site, and we're working to obtain as many as we can, from a variety of sources: The DMV, families and elsewhere. If you have an unaltered photo (no Instagram filters, please) of someone who was killed, please email it to us with your permission to publish it, along with information about who took the photo and when.

Many readers also requested the return of the photo gallery. We're looking at …

100 days, 100 nights: How LAPD is dealing with rumors, gangs and fear

Aug. 9, 2015, 6 a.m.

Recently, South Los Angeles was in the spotlight after social media rumors promised 100 days and 100 nights of retaliation after a 27-year-old man was shot and killed there. The rumors turned out to be just that, but they came during a surge in gang violence. The Times' Nicole Santa Cruz sat down with the LAPD's top cop in South Los Angeles, Deputy Chief Bill Scott, to talk about gang violence, rumors and crime.

This year as a whole, the city is seeing a surge in violent crime. As a law enforcement leader, how do you approach a surge in crime?

A couple things — with the violent crime, that's of course a huge issue because we've had so many years where crime has been on the decline. The first objective for me as a leader is to get our folks to understand that we are in this for …

Delshon Eugene Hayes Jr., 23

Aug. 11, 2015

Delshon Eugene Hayes Jr., a 23-year-old black man, was shot and killed Sunday, Aug. 9, in the 1700 block of West Florence Avenue in Manchester Square, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 12:45 p.m., people were gathered at a car wash in the area. A person approached Hayes and a 34-year-old black man and began shooting into a crowd, said LAPD Det. Rob Lait.

The gunman then ran to a four-door gray compact car and fled south on South Hobart Boulevard, then West on 74th Street, said LAPD Det. Young Mun.

Hayes was pronounced dead at the scene, according to coroner’s records.

The 34-year-old man, who was also struck, was hospitalized and is expected to survive. Mun said that Hayes and the 34-year-old man knew each other but did not know whom the gunman was targeting.

The night after the shooting, a group of people gathered for a …

Jose Alfredo Aragon, 21

By Jeanette Marantos

Aug. 10, 2015

Jose Aragon, a 21-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Saturday, Aug. 8, in the 11800 block of Wilmington Avenue in Willowbrook, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Aragon and his friend, Andy Chicas, 21, were inside a McDonald's shortly before 10:30 p.m. when they began arguing with two other men, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The argument continued into the parking lot and eventually escalated into a fight. At one point, one of the men pulled a gun and shot both Aragon and Chicas in the chest, according to the release.

Deputies were called to the scene at 10:35 p.m.. and Aragon and Chicas were taken to a local hospital, according to the release. Aragon, who lived in Compton, was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m., according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Chicas, who lived in Long Beach, died about the same time, …

Michael Robert Hannah, 20

Aug. 11, 2015

Michael Robert Hannah, a 20-year-old Latino, was found with gunshot wounds Saturday, Aug. 8 in the 1600 block of Delta Street in Echo Park, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 2:50 a.m. police responded to a call of an assault with a deadly weapon in the area and found Hannah with a gunshot wound to the head, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Hannah was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m. at the scene, according to coroner’s records.

Officer Ryan Watterson said police were hoping that witnesses would call to provide details about the shooting.

“It’s a tough one because it was so late at night …” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD’s Northeast Division detectives at (323) 344-5744. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Andy Geovanny Chicas, 21

By Jeanette Marantos

Aug. 19, 2015

Andy Chicas, a 21-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Saturday, Aug. 8, in the 11800 block of Wilmington Avenue in Willowbrook, according to authorities.

Chicas and his friend, Jose Aragon, 21, were inside a McDonald's shortly before 10:30 p.m. when they began arguing with two other men, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The argument continued into the parking lot and eventually escalated into a fight. At one point, one of the men pulled a gun and shot both Aragon and Chicas in the chest, according to the release.

Deputies were called to the scene at 10:35 p.m. and Aragon and Chicas were taken to a local hospital, according to the release. Aragon, who lived in Compton, was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m., according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Chicas, who lived in Long Beach, died about the same time, according to the sheriff's …

Kevin Clay Thomas, 20

By Jeanette Marantos

Aug. 25, 2015

Kevin Clay Thomas, a 20-year-old black man, was shot and killed Saturday, Aug. 8, in the 2300 block of East 1st Street in Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Thomas and his friend were at the Soto Gold Line station near 1st and Soto streets around 7 p.m. when they were approached by three Latinos in their 20s, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Victor Lewandowski.

The men got into an argument, and Thomas and his friend were cornered near the elevators, Lewandowski said. Then one of the assailants pulled out a gun and shot Thomas multiple times, he said.

The assailants briefly chased Thomas’ friend, who got away, Lewandowski said, and then the men fled west on 1st Street.

Thomas was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead at 7:41 p.m., according to coroner's records.

Lewandowski said the area around the train station is known …

Gerald Macken, 71

Aug. 24, 2015

Update: The Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner Coroner’s office has changed the mode of this death. It has not been ruled a homicide.

Gerald Macken, a 71-year-old white male, died Saturday, Aug. 8, in Norwalk, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's records. The cause of death is pending.

Derrick Lee Hunt, 28

Aug. 9, 2015

Derrick Lee Hunt, a 28-year-old black man, died after an officer-involved shooting Friday, Aug. 7, in the 3200 block of East Artesia Boulevard, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

The incident began about 8:17 p.m., when Long Beach Police officers received a call about a stabbing in progress involving multiple victims in the Artesia Courts apartment complex, according to a department news release.

Officers found that a man, later identified as Hunt, had allegedly stabbed his 29-year-old wife, her 25-year-old brother and a 24-year-old neighbor, who lived near them in the complex, the release said.

Hunt then allegedly left the complex and entered a convalescent home on the south side of the street, where he allegedly stabbed three female employees, ages 23, 24 and 33.

Frightened residents helped officers locate Hunt. Witnesses told The Times that Hunt did not obey officers' commands to put down his weapon. Instead, he …

Jimmie Lee Jackson, 71

Aug. 11, 2015

Jimmie Lee Jackson, a 71-year-old black man, was found dead Friday, Aug. 7 in the 2000 block of South Bonnie Brae Street in Westlake, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Jackson was found dead in his bedroom with stab wounds shortly before 2 p.m., said LAPD Det. Ray Martinez. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police have no suspects at this time, Martinez said. Jackson lived at an apartment complex for people with mental health issues.

Anyone with information is asked to call Rampart homicide detectives at (213) 484-3642. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

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