James Anthony Cortez, a 50-year-old Latino male, died Thursday, Oct. 8, after being shot near Riverside Drive E/O Fletcher Drive in Silver Lake, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's records.

Melyda Corado, a 27-year-old woman, was shot and killed by police Saturday, July 21, at 2738 Hyperion Ave. in Silver Lake, police said.

Corado, the manager of a Trader Joe’s market, was killed by police gunfire in an hours-long standoff with an armed suspect, police said three days after the shooting.

“On behalf of myself and the rest of the Department, I want to express my deepest condolences and sympathy to her family and everyone that knew her,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore said of Corado. “I know that it’s every officer’s worst nightmare to hurt an innocent bystander during a violent engagement. I spoke with the officers this morning — they’re devastated. They were devastated in the immediate aftermath of this event.”

Initially, it was unclear whether the gunfire that killed Corado was from the suspect or police. LAPD released car dashboard and body camera video earlier than is typical …

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Albert Ortega Ruiz, a 40-year-old Latino male, died Saturday, Jan. 27, after sustaining blunt force trauma in Silver Lake, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Rudy Barrera, a 24-year-old Latino, was fatally stabbed Thursday, Sept. 15, in the 900 block of North Hoover Street in East Hollywood, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Shortly before 8 p.m., Barrera got into an argument with his girlfriend's father in the living area of the man's apartment, said Los Angeles Police Det. Ray Martinez.

The argument turned physical, and another of the man's daughters intervened and stabbed Barrera, Martinez said.

Barrera was taken to a hospital where he later died.

Police said the argument was a disagreement over Barrera's relationship with his girlfriend.

Police believe the 22-year-old woman who stabbed Barrera was acting in defense of her father and refused to release her name. The case has been presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office for consideration.

Anyone with information is asked to call Rampart Division detectives at (213) 484-3642. Those who wish to remain …

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Joseph Anthony Gatto, a 78-year-old white man was shot and killed Wednesday, Nov. 13, in his home in the 2800 block of Bright Avenue of Silver Lake.

Gatto, a former teacher and artist, is also the father of a state assemblyman. An autopsy found he died from a single gunshot wound to his abdomen, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

The time of death was listed as the time Gatto's daughter found his body at his Silver Lake home: Wednesday at 8:12 p.m.

The slaying was the first in Silver Lake since May 2012.  Gatto was found slumped over a desk. He was shot with a small-caliber handgun and his home had been ransacked, Los Angeles Police Lt. Richard Parks said.

Authorities said detectives had "no information whatsoever" that Gatto's death "has anything to do with his son's politics." Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) represents a district that includes …

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Julio Alvarado, a 29-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Tuesday, May 15, in the 2200 block of Allesandro Way in Silver Lake, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Alvarado was discovered lying unresponsive and partially covered with a blanket on a residential street at 10:29 p.m., said Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office.

Authorities were called and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Coroner's records show Alvarado died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Winter had no other details about the case.

Anyone with information about the killing is asked to contact the Los Angeles Police Department at (877) 527-3247. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 .

-- Los Angeles Times

Juan Vazquez, a 25-year-old Latino, was pronounced dead Tuesday, Aug. 9, two days after he was shot in the 1400 block of Silver Lake Boulevard in Silver Lake, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Officers responded to a shooting call on Aug. 7 about 5:08 a.m., according to an LAPD news release.

When police arrived, they found Vazquez in a car with several gunshot wounds, including one to the head. Paramedics were called and the victim was taken to County-USC Medical Center where he was deemed brain dead on Aug. 9, officials said.

Vazquez remained on life support until Aug. 14.

According to KTLA-TV Channel 5, the victim was a pizza delivery man who was driving coworkers home at the time of the shooting.

"He's a friend, he never did anything to anybody," Garage Pizza manager Kevin Ramsey told KTLA. "Whoever did this is a coward."

Officials said a …

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Manuel Santizo, a 28-year-old Latino male, was struck by a car and shot and killed by the occupants in a possible gang-related incident in Silver Lake, officials said.

Santizo was riding his bicycle Sunday evening when the car hit him near Hoover Street and Del Mar Avenue, said Officer Rosario Herrera of the Los Angeles Police Department.

At least 60 homicides have been reported within 2 miles of Sunday's shooting since January 2007, according to coroner's data.

She said some of those inside the car then got out and shot the bike rider in the upper body.

The cyclist was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries, about 9:30 p.m. Herrera said there was no description of the car or gunmen.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (800-222-8477).

-- Richard Winton

Donald Mendez, a 53-year old Latino man, was found dead Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 buried behind an apartment building in Silver Lake.

The body of his brother, Douglas Mendez, 55, was also discovered in a makeshift grave on the property in the 2800 block of London Street, according to authorities.

Officers arriving at the home found large blood spatters at the home and brought in cadaver dogs. The bodies of the brothers were discovered under old lumber and other debris.

Donald Mendez's son, Ronald Mendez, 21, was arrested Nov. 5 in connection with the case. He was charged two days later with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of his father and uncle, according to the Los Angeles  County district attorney.

Mendez, who was held without bail, was charged with fatally stabbing his father and uncle sometime between Nov.2 and Nov. 4, prosecutors said. Because he was charged …

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Douglas Mendez, a 55-year old Latino man, was found dead Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 buried behind an apartment building in Silver Lake.

The body of his brother, Donald Mendez, 53, was also discovered in a makeshift grave on the property in the 2800 block of London Street, according to authorities.

Officers arriving at the home found large blood spatters at the home and brought in cadaver dogs. The bodies of the brothers were discovered under old lumber and other debris.

Donald Mendez's son, Ronald Mendez, 21, was arrested Nov. 5 in connection with the case. He was charged two days later with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of his father and uncle, according to the Los Angeles  County district attorney.

Mendez, who was held without bail, was charged with fatally stabbing his father and uncle sometime between Nov.2 and Nov. 4, prosecutors said. Because he was charged …

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Cesar Valenzuela, a 44-year-old Latino man, died of multiple gunshot wounds and a severed forearm  Monday, Oct., 13, 2008 in the 1400 block of Silver Lake Boulevard, according to coroner's records.

-- Anthony Pesce

Mario Abad, a 44-year-old Latino, was found with multiple stab wounds at Silver Lake and Sunset boulevards at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14. Abad died of the wounds to his chest the next day.

The assailant is still at large, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

—Richard Winton

Alejandro Palacio, a 33-year-old Latino man, was shot to death at 3611 W. Bellevue Ave. about 2 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15. His domestic partner, Delilah Acevedo, 26, was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder, said Officer Norma Eisenman, a spokeswoman for the LAPD.

Officers with the Rampart Division responded to a shots-fired call and found Palacio in the bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. He was declared dead at the scene. A handgun was recovered.

Alyssa Margie Gomez, a 15-year-old Latina, was found dead Monday, June 4, near the 4200 block of Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Alyssa was a homeless teenager who had been living on the streets for at least three years, said LAPD Northeast Det. James Yamada, who handled the investigation. She had previously been in foster care, but ran away, he said.

The teen was involved in drugs and prostitution when she met Gilton Pitre, a 38-year-old black man, on June 3, Yamada said. The two went to the Olive Hotel in Silver Lake where they had sex. For reasons that remain unknown, Pitre killed Alyssa, Yamada said.

Her cause of death was listed as asphyxiation through strangulation, according to the coroner's office.

After he strangled her, Pitre wrapped Alyssa's body in a bedspread and put her in the trunk of his car, Yamada …

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Verona Mae Sebastian, 33, a white woman from Lakewood, was found dead in a burning car on the Golden State Freeway just north of Dodger Stadium near the Glendale Boulevard exit around 1 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28. Her husband was found nearby, also badly burned. He was hospitalized. Detectives are calling her death a homicide.

Update: Sebastian's husband, still being treated for burns weeks later, was charged with her murder. Prosecutors say he burned her to death, culminating a pattern of domestic assaults on her.