Imani Angelique Swaffi, a 32-year-old black woman, was stabbed to death Saturday, Aug. 26, in the 3600 block of West 132nd Street in Hawthorne, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Swaffi lived with her boyfriend, Ilami Kari Igoni, their 1-year-old child and Swaffi’s sister, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza said. 

The sister came home at 10:06 p.m. and found Swaffi unconscious and bleeding from multiple stab wounds, Mendoza said.

Igoni pushed the woman outside, where she called 911. When deputies arrived, they found Igoni in the bedroom with a large knife protruding from his chest, Mendoza said. 

Swaffi was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:44 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

Igoni’s stabbing was ruled a suicide by the coroner’s office. 

The couple’s child was not injured, Mendoza said, and was turned over the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

Investigators aren’t sure …

Continue reading »

Isaiah Alexander Alvarez, a 21-year-old Latino, died Saturday, Aug. 26, after he was shot in the 2000 block of East 105th Street in Watts, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Alvarez was at a party late Friday, the night before he was killed, when he got into a fight with two other Latinos who witnesses said were gang members, Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Garrido said.

The fight moved into an alley, where someone shot Alvarez, Garrido said.

Alvarez was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:03 a.m., according to coroner’s records. Police said the South Pasadena resident had no gang ties.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (323) 786-5111. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

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

Gerome Lee Thomas, a 31-year-old black man, was shot and killed Friday, Aug. 25, in the 4400 block of South Western Avenue in Vermont Square, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Thomas was standing at the Master Burger restaurant about 6 p.m. with two others when a person walked up to him and shot him multiple times, Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Garrido said.

As the gunman fired, the two people with Thomas tried to run away. One man was struck in the calf, and the other man was not injured, Garrido said.

Thomas was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:57 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

Detectives think the shooting was the result of a personal dispute, not gang related. The gunman ran south on South Western Avenue to a waiting vehicle, which fled the area.

Two brothers, Rubin Day, 21, and Christopher Day, 23, were …

Continue reading »

Vincent Coleman Roper, a 64-year-old black man, died Friday, Aug. 25, after he was stabbed in the 37600 block of Patty Court in Palmdale, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were called to Roper’s home at 8 a.m. after someone reported that his front door was open, Lt. Joe Mendoza said.

There were signs of a struggle and blood inside the house, Mendoza said, and Roper was found lying on the floor.

Roper was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:50 a.m., according to coroner’s records. He had been stabbed in the head, records showed. 

Investigators don’t have any information about suspects or a motive for the slaying. There was no evidence of a forced entry. Roper lived alone and it’s unclear whether anything was taken, authorities said. 

NBC Channel 4 News reported that two of Roper’s friends went to check on him after he didn’t …

Continue reading »

Kebek Barnes, a 42-year-old black male, died Wednesday, Aug. 23, after being shot in Woodland Hills, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Florencio Ramirez, a 44-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Saturday, Aug. 19, in the 1400 block of East 77th Street in the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Ramirez and a female friend were riding their bicycles about 12:45 a.m. a few blocks from his home when a car that had been parked around the corner drove up and someone inside opened fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Derrick Alfred said. 

“We don’t know how long it was stopped there, but it sounds like the car was just lying in wait,” Alfred said. 

The bullets struck Ramirez, his friend and another woman who was walking near the cyclists, Alfred said. 

All three were taken to a hospital, Alfred said. 

Ramirez was pronounced dead at 1:34 a.m., according to coroner’s records.

The two women were treated at the hospital and released.

Investigators are still …

Continue reading »

Christopher Michael Diaz, a 26-year-old Latino, was shot and killed by authorities on Friday, Aug. 18, in the 2900 block of West Via Corona in Montebello, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

For almost two weeks, Montebello police and agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives searched for Diaz, who they thought had fatally shot his estranged wife, Roxann Acosta, 28. She was 15 weeks’ pregnant when she was killed.

Authorities found Diaz a few miles from his mother’s house, where Acosta and her unborn child died, according to a police report.

When officers arrived about 2:40 p.m., Diaz fled on foot. They chased him to a front yard, where Diaz drew a semi-automatic handgun, aimed at officers and fired at least one round, the news release said.

Police fired back. Diaz was struck at least once and died at the scene at 2:47 p.m., according …

Continue reading »

Daniel Mariscal, a 20-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Friday, Aug. 18, in the 2500 block of South La Salle Avenue in the Adams-Normandie neighborhood of South Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 7:15 p.m., Mariscal was driving a gray Honda Accord with three others when they stopped alongside a white sedan, Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Garrido said.

A passenger in the Honda confronted the driver of the white vehicle, which sped away, Garrido said. The Honda followed.

The white vehicle then made a U-turn, and, as it pulled alongside the Honda, a person inside the car fired multiple gunshots at the group in the Accord.

Mariscal was struck by gunfire and was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:30 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

The three other people in the Honda were not injured.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (323) 786-5110. Those …

Continue reading »

Reynaldo Santibanez, a 31-year-old Latino male, died Friday, Aug. 18, in Sun Valley, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's records.

Kevin Deawohnn Williams Jr., a 21-year-old black man, was shot and killed Thursday, Aug. 17, in the 1000 block of East 84th Place in Florence, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 1:30 p.m., Williams and another man were walking west on East 84th Place when a light-colored sedan pulled up, Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Garrido said.

A person got out of the car and began shooting at the two men, police said.

Williams and Dewayne Childs, a 19-year-old black man who was with Williams, were taken to hospitals.

William was pronounced dead at 3:26 p.m., according to coroner’s records. Childs also died.

The driver of the sedan fled south through a nearby alley, police said. The killings are believed to be gang-related, Garrido said.

Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD’s South Bureau detectives at (323) 786-5111. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call …

Continue reading »

Dewayne Childs, a 19-year-old black man, was shot and killed Thursday, Aug. 17, in the 1000 block of East 84th Place in Florence, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 1:30 p.m., Childs and another man were walking west on East 84th Place when a light-colored sedan pulled up, Los Angeles Police Det. Dave Garrido said.

A person got out of the car and began shooting at the two men, police said.

Childs and Kevin Deawohnn Williams Jr., a 21-year-old black man who was with Childs, were taken to hospitals.

Childs was pronounced dead at 2:45 p.m., according to coroner’s records. Williams also died.

The driver of the sedan fled south through a nearby alley, police said. The killings are believed to be gang-related, Garrido said.

Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD’s South Bureau detectives at (323) 786-5111. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime …

Continue reading »