Carlos Jimenez, 38

Carlos Jimenez, a 38-year-old Latino, was shot and killed on Thursday, Jan. 26, in the 11900 block of 167th Street in Artesia, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Jimenez had gotten home from work shortly after midnight and was outside the boarding house where he lived, sharing a beer with a friend, said Sgt. Marcelo Quintero. 

Residents told investigators they heard the sound of a car driving, then the sound of gunfire. No one saw the vehicle, Quintero said, but after it passed, Jimenez and his friend had gunshot wounds.

Jimenez was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:25 a.m. He had been shot in the neck. His friend was treated at a nearby hospital for a gunshot wound to the arm, Quintero said. 

Neither Jimenez nor his friend had any gang involvement, Quintero said, and investigators have no motive for the shooting. 

Jimenez had recently moved to Artesia from the Mexican state of Chiapas, where he had a wife and children, Quintero said. 

The shooting “could have been a case of mistaken identity,” Quintero said, “but he [Jimenez] was just a hardworking individual trying to squeak out a living and then he got shot. ... for what?”

Investigators hope that footage from security cameras in the area will help them identify the shooters’ car, Quintero said. 

Anyone with information can call the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.