Josefina Alcocer-Estrada, 48

Josefina Alcocer-Estrada, a 48-year-old Latina, was killed by blunt force trauma Friday, Feb. 26, in the 14300 block of Firestone Boulevard in La Mirada, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Alcocer was a long-time employee of the La Mirada In-N-Out Burger and was throwing trash into the restaurant’s outside bin about 4:45 a.m. when she was struck multiple times by an unknown assailant, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Jauch said. 

Alcocer had arrived at work about 4 a.m. and had not been outside very long when she was killed, Jauch said. 

“She had multiple blunt force trauma, like she was beaten with a baseball bat,” Jauch said. “We don’t know what killed her or who killed her, but it was some kind of force to her head.”

An employee in a neighboring business noticed someone lying in the restaurant’s parking lot and called 911, Jauch said. A short time later, an In-N-Out employee saw Alcocer lying in the lot and called for help as well, he said. 

Alcocer was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:08 a.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Such a workplace killing “is certainly out of the norm,” Jauch said. “It’s certainly peculiar, having an employee on duty killed. It’s not something you hear about every day.” 

In-N-Out owner and President Lynsi Snyder said in a statement that Alcocer was one of the restaurant’s first employees when the business opened in La Mirada in 1996, about 17 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Alcocer’s husband also works for In-N-Out at another location in Orange County. The couple had one adult son, Jauch said.

“The entire In-N-Out family grieves today over this senseless tragedy as we send our thoughts and prayers to the Alcocer family,” Snyder said in a statement. “We are devastated and will miss her. So many things going on in the world today. We will remain strong and stand in love for Josefina. God bless and comfort all who are mourning a loved one at this time.”

Jauch said investigators have no suspect information and are still searching for a motive in the killing. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s 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.