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The Homicide Report

Update: Investigation continues in shooting death of Manuel Holguin, 33

April 14, 2010, 6:03 p.m.

Photo: Manuel Holguin, Credit: DMV A reader recently contacted the Homicide Report to ask for more information about the circumstances surrounding the killing of Manuel Holguin, a 33-year-old Latino, who died Wednesday, March 10, a day after he was shot in the 200 block of North Arizona Avenue in East Los Angeles.

Sheriff's Homicide Bureau Detective Bill Marsh, who is handling the investigation, says the case is being investigated as a gang-involved homicide.

There were other male Latinos with Holguin at the time of the shooting, Marsh said, and there were witnesses to the assault. Marsh declined to provide more details about the incident because the investigation remained open.

Asked whether Holguin was an active gang member at the time of his death, Marsh said Holguin had not been recently involved in any gang activity and had been trying to distance himself from that lifestyle.

Marsh said he strongly believed authorities would be able to make an arrest in Holguin’s homicide.

The Times will provide an update to the case as soon as information becomes available.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

-- Sarah Ardalani

66 reader comments

Reina,

Much respect to your husband for fighting for our country. But, I have to ask you, because I'm not sure if your standing up for this gangsters, or trying to make a point; but if your husband who in no way was a gangster, and the two of you are out at a park just enjoying the freedom your husband fought for, and as your walking a gangster approaches your husband that has a tattoo on his neck, and say "Where are you from?", and without a chance to answer he shoots him; Would you still feel how you feel that these gangsters should have the freedom to do whatever they want?, because most of their victims were did the same way. So if you could understand our discontent for these types of characters. We think of the countless victims they take violently for no reason. Do you know how many truly non-gang-banging victims they have killed?, How many they will kill for the color of their skin?, Can you answer that?; That's the reason I personally talk bad, and dare to praise these low-life criminals, because I've been a victim my self, and have had a family member killed by these low-lives a month before graduating to go away to college.

— Just Say'n April 20, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.

Big earl: Did you know that LA sits on a giant oil field with lots of productive wells operating throughout the basin? I suggest you go to your local junior college and take a geology 101 class and learn something other than silly rhetoric.

t money, do you not agree that gangs and their allies can be summed up into one basic premise: violent criminal activities committed by sociopaths that lead to the destruction of communities.

How else would you explain it. I think you're one of the people that are part of the problem in that you tacitly support gang life and activity because "its part of the culture".

As for tattoo's, certain tattoo's carry the same meaning as the swastika; they intend to intimidate and to announce ones identification with a sociopathic organization and to intimidate.

As for pouring billions of dollars into LA to; just what needs repair that money can fix? The infrastructure is still there. BUT THE JOBS AREN'T! And that's why nothing can be done to solve the problems until politicians are voted in by the PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE who will actually do something about it.
Its always the same refrain, "more money here, more money there". But now that this state is bankrupt, were finally at the point where the taxpayers can finally ask where has all of the money gone and why are the same problems still with us.

Oh all that and also get rid of the illegals who cause wage deflation and dont pay taxes that overwhelm the taxpayers with social demands.

— syscom3 April 19, 2010 at 2:53 p.m.

paul, marg, A. you are on point. sys [and his other aliases] thinks he knows quite a bit about gangs and LA. hes usually off. with very many generalizations and faulty proclamations.

as for the pic: in todays culture tattoos are very in vogue. dont believe me? go to that stretch of blvd in fullerton with all those bars and college kids.

whats their uniform? muscles, some spiky haired heads (lots of shaved ones), ed hardy/affliction t-shirts, orange tans and tattoos ALL over their body... i doubt they are gang members.

you cant always judge a book by its cover. this guy could have been an MMA fighter.

in this situation tho the victim was known to have BEEN a gang member. that life catches up to you. enough said.

— t money April 19, 2010 at 12:22 p.m.

Chris and All the other Complainers,

It just blows me away to see so many of you people that will blast the very people who cares, and are sick, and tired of seeing or reading about the many innocent lives these gangsters take. Maybe the family members, and friends should expect whats said about their loved ones. I'm very sure they weren't blind to what gangsters are all about, and what they do in their lives. And, you think we should write something so sweet about evil people like that who lost their life, and wouldn't have given a damn about your life as well. Shame on all of you that complain about us talking bad about a bad person; this is not a pitty party for the evil, because this guy was up to no good, so I feel no sorrow for someone like that who leaves us, because them leaving us may have been the best thing our communities needed one less evil we have to deal with. Hats off to you Syscom3, for telling it like it is uncut...Because the truth hurts, and I see it hurts pretty bad when have people taking up for criminals, like the victims meant nothing!!

— Just Say'n April 17, 2010 at 1:45 p.m.

L A is violent, but pales in comparison when compared to Mexico, Guatemala, Iraq, Pakistan, and a whole bunch of other regions in the world. Noone cares about the people dying in LA except family members and their friends. People of LA either have accepted that violence as just a regular part of life in certain sections of their city, or justify it from a liberal stand point. That point being, everyone is free to do what they want, if they want to kill eachother on a daily basis they are more then welcome to do so. Judging from a lack of outrage when reading the comments on the killing blog, I get the feeling that LA is much different than any other part of the US. First of all, starting in 03,more people have been killed in LA than the Iraq and Afganistan wars combined. At the same time, the government isnt pouring billions of dollars to make LAs citizens lifes better. Wouldnt the government care if their citizens are dying before they go and take care of the muslims? Just a thought. What if the Gov poured billions of dollars into the LA community like they do in Baghdad? Reconstructions is needed correct? A rough draft answer is, because LA is just were the government wants it to be. Colonized with a huge majority of people of who are soo low income, that they join military ranks on a daily basis,or make excellent low wage workers, who will do anything asked from them to survive. At the same we are hard at work of making Iraq, Afganistan, and Iran our next three unofficial states. Except for the fact that we dont have a hold on all of their gangs yet. On the other hand, those countries are so psychologically Americanized, that they will never go back to their old way of life again. At the same time, Syscom is blaming local officials, as if they are qualified to take on a problem of Streetgangs and Mexican Mafia.)) In an idiological hypothesis, a gang is a form of lashing out against an institutionalized conformable process some call "life".

— A April 17, 2010 at 1:36 p.m.

Syscom3,
We are experiencing historically low numbers of homicides. The least amount of murders since the 1960's! Obviously there's a lot more to the starving budget than the cost of homicides and gangs. You asked What good have gangs caused? There's no right answer to that question! Your twisting what I said to make an argument for yourself. I simply pointed out your insensitivity and immaturity with which you address people. For the past five years I've worked with at risk youth coaching a youth basketball team sponsored by the police dept . A lot of these kids have entire families who are gang members. Some kids are gang members at 14 when I invite them to join the team! Yet I've seen positive influence, encouragement, and basketball, be the tipping point to these kids seeing the bigger picture. Playing ball instead of gang banging. Studying and setting goals. Syscom3, you hate gang members so much that you could never do what I do. Your rants on this blog make it sound like your "concerned", but unfortunately you are to immature and don't have the Emotional Intelligence to be the bigger man and be respectful. You may not be part of the problem, but your damn sure not part of the solution. At the end of the day I can say I'm part of the solution. For that I'm proud.

— Paul April 17, 2010 at 1:01 p.m.

Paul, I refer to the elected officials from these violence plagued neighborhoods as being incompetent do nothing buffoons. I never said they were corrupt. How else can you explain 30 years of steadily eroding household incomes, rising levels of state aid and violence that has become the norm? Every single election year, the same old rhetoric is spewed from these candidates and nothing ever changes. Year after year, after year.

And perhaps the biggest riddle is the people who live there. How can they claim they want decent jobs and schools when they elect the very officials who do everything possible to not change the schools and to make sure business's are taxed and regulated to the point they too will leave?

You have any idea on the money that is spent on the investigation of a gang homcide? You have any idea on the money that is spent if someone is arrested and prosecuted for the same? You have any idea on the money that is spent on the prison costs for the convicted? And if that does not cause you any concern, then you too are part of the problem.

And yes, I am sarcastic and condescending to the families and friends of the deceased when they claim that person was oh so loving and wonderful, when in fact they had a dark side to them that society must pay for. I am not asking for much when I demand some apologies for the violence that was committed by the deceased. And I surely would like to get some money back from them to help pay for the vast sums of money expended on their unproductive lives.

margaret, I will only confirm I live in Southern California. My political affiliation means nothing as I speak for a lot of people of all races and political leanings that are tired of the glamorization of gang life and the destruction of neighborhoods and society.

As I told my instructors in the political and criminal justice classes I've taken at junior college, silence on this issue (gangsters and the havoc they bring) is tacit approval for it.

margaret, paul; lets hear it from both of you. Just what good has the gangster lifestyle brought the community?

— syscom3 April 17, 2010 at 8:47 a.m.

The Homicide Report

Update: Investigation continues in shooting death of Manuel Holguin, 33

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