The Homicide Report

A story for every victim

The Homicide Report

Miguel Machuca, 15

Sept. 1, 2010, 5:53 p.m.

Miguel Machuca, a 15-year-old Latino, was fatally shot Saturday, Aug. 28, near Mission Road and Selig Place in Lincoln Heights, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Police responded to a call of shots fired about 7:30 p.m. and found Miguel lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the torso, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Hollenbeck homicide detective Ron Chavarria, who is handling the case, said two men approached Miguel, the three got into an altercation and he was shot.

During the shooting, an 11-year-old girl was hit in the back by a stray bullet.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responding to the scene took Miguel and the girl to County-USC Hospital.

Miguel died a short time after arrival, Chavarria said, while the 11-year-old was treated for her injuries. She is in the hospital in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery, he said.

Chavarria said Miguel was a documented gang member and that the killing was a gang-related incident, not a robbery as news outlets had reported.

The assailants were described as male Latinos.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Ron Chavarria at (323) 342-8957 or Joe Rios at (323) 342-8958. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (800-222-8477).

-- Sarah Ardalani

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88 reader comments

I would like to see all these people talking crap come move down here and see what its all about down here even if you are or aren't a gang member a lot of people are being killed for no reason or stupid reasons.Yes he was a known gang member but that didnt make him a bad person he never killed anybody and i just cant see why these grown men shot him knowing that he was still a boy.Those are the people you should be talking crap about.What ruthless and cold hearted people!Who the hell steals a person's shoes after you shot him i know you guys were probably laughing your a**es off but you'll get what's coming to you and i hope what you guys did to him,his family and gf haunts you forever i hope you suffer just like their suffering till this day.Those are real true heartless gangsters Miguel was still a boy and for you that don't know it wasn't his intention and choice to be a gangmember it just happened and there was nothing he could do about it but live his life and wrongly have it taken from him so early.You didn't deserve to go that way Miguel we love you always and forever and for all you ppl that talked bad about him on this page you are just like the people that killed him cold and heartless,he was just a boy you jerks!

— R.I.P Miguel Machuca You will always be in our <3s Jan. 24, 2012 at 4:09 p.m.

dear RIP Miguel,

I will keep in mind that you are probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 years old so with that in mind. Do yourself a big favor go back to school! Get an education! Im meory of or in spite of Machuca. He was what he was. Nothing is going to change his situation. Nothing is going to change the way he died or how he died or why he died. However, you my dear are still here. You deserve to live your life! Not the life that your "hood" or your family had choosen for you but your life. Your still so young and capable of making strong changes from your current situation. Just because Machuca was a gang member and died a gang member and will always just be a number on some detectives file or a coroner's report doesn't mean that you have to end up the same way. From the posting that you have contibuted to this site you are heading down the wrong road and you hitched your ride to the wrong star! Machuca is not a hero in his short life he didn't do anything to contibute a positive change to his family or his small small world. Dear one do NOT end up a number on someone's file just like Machuca get yourself clean and make positive steps. Because if there is one thing that this blog has taught all of us is there cames a time when it is too late. No matter what changes you want to make at 20 your reputation doesn't let you anymore. Start over or new or again for the last time. Clean up the postings and start by getting an education. It isn't going to be easy but it's a lot better then the alternative or having to look over your shoulder all the time. Good luck.

— SJP Sept. 25, 2010 at 5:28 a.m.

u no wut u dont evn no if he had a gun or not how wuld u no u dont no crap about him he wus family u guys dont no wat happened how wyld u no if he had a gun on him were u there did u c the gun or ur just sayinq what all these dumb people are sayinq that u got to be another nosey ass guy just talkinq ur crap so iwhat if live in a good place so do we people ,ake the wrong chosies yes they do but that doesnt mean all of them have bad hearts all you guys do is talk smack about people threw the interent just leave hima laone aready hes not hereno more u guys dont no cramp about what happen get ur facts straghit hes not the one who killed no 1 hes never killed anyone in his life thoses stupid guys were the once that killed n if he had a gun he would of shot bak but he didnt so wut does dat tell u he didnt he was helpless he got shot when he gave up his bike n he still got shot they shot him n laugh there people wit no hearts n i hope really hope that all u people that tlk smack feel the pain we feel n i hope they tlk smack like u guys r doing because wut comes around goes bak around t stupid people like u guys

— r.i.p miguel Sept. 19, 2010 at 7:26 p.m.

Police are just part of the problem. Instead of giving stupid traffic tickets and sitting on their asses looking at cars pass they should really be paying more attention on gang violence. We the people that work are paying the police with OUR paycecks and you see them on the streets on the motorcycle with their speedgun getting payed a good amount of money to just pull us over and take more money away from us the people who PAY them their paycheck. If the city wasnt so obsessed with trying to steal more and more money from its own people rather than try to help them out and safe more kids life miguel. Police should be going against the real criminals rather than innocent people that they pull over give a ticket to and ruin them financially even more. Miguel was a good kid even though he was in a gang. What im trying to say is maybe the government should try helping kids that live in poor neighborhoods that gang violence is evident.

— Offroad King Sept. 10, 2010 at 4:05 p.m.

Ok I agree with everyone who has said that gang violence is not necessary. I get that. You are so right most (some are just wanna be's who have done nothing) gangbangers are lost souls who nobody can help. I am sorry I agree that if you feel like you have to defend yourself and your daily living then you need to move to syscom3 neighborhood or at least live a different life.

Ok Now that I agree with most of you let me point a few points you guys are make'n:
Chris-"I realize you're quoting Tupac, but do you really think this kind of crap is cool or the norm?"

Yes it is the norm in many of these neighborhoods and until the outsider stop looking in and actually walk in to at least fix the problem it will and is continuing. Sorry but that’s reality.

Victoria-"Kids end up getting involved in the wrong crowds and screw up their lives. Not only that but they put everyone else in danger. It really pisses me off! Grow up and get jobs!"

Oh I feel your anger but they have grown up...kids have to go out everyday wondering if it is their last day on earth. They have to go out and find out how to help mom/grandma pay that bill because hey lets keep it real not everyone has it like that due to the choices they might have to make as younger adults. My point is that many of these ppl are do'n just that growing up and not living a "normal" life like many other children. U don't have to understand it just recognize it.

KP-" They are inherently good kids confronted with bad influences. My point is that some people aren't given the same chances in life and are faced with much more difficult choices than others."

Thank you for put'n out some positive words. I am sure the family appreciates it. And your right we do need more to get involved.

Ok look I read everyone’s post I am truly sorry to the family and friends who are grieve'n but Miguel might have been a "good" kid but he wasn't a great gangbanger and it was up to the family to come together then (when it was realized he was no longer the "good" kid) and teach him what living was about so he wouldn't have learned what death was about first. But what’s done is done and may he rest in peace now.

— LDM Sept. 10, 2010 at 12:45 p.m.

— K.P., you are conveniently ignoring the reality of all this. The deceased was committing extremely serious crimes by carrying a loaded weapon with the intent to kill. By you not condemning it in the harshest of terms, you are being a gang enabler.

This is not a case of a simple theft or vandalism, but of a 15 year old committing adult type crimes.

There can be no tears shed for him because if he wasn't killed that night, he would have ended up killing others. The fact that a bystander got shot is indicative on how dangerous the deceased was.

" ... They are inherently good kids confronted with bad influences. ..."

No. There are juvenile delinquents and then there are sociopaths. One grows out of anti-social behavior. The other commits horrific crimes. In this case, he was a bad kid who made bad choices.

Before you have the gumption to ask us to mourn for the family, you had better ask the family of the deceased to apologize to the community for the crimes their son committed.

— syscom3 Sept. 8, 2010 at 6 p.m.

KP- The victim chose to be in a gang, and knew exactly the possibilities and the consequences of being in one. Gangsters terrorize their communities and karma caught up with this young punk. Kids in the United States are given plenty of opportunities to become successful. This kid decided not to take advantage of them. How, exactly are we supposed to prevent tragedies like this from happening? He knew right from wrong. You are told repeatedly in school, from kindergarden all the way through high school, "Stay away from gangs and drugs!" Even if he dropped out of school, he surely heard it in elementary. He wanted to go down the wrong path. He is the only one who could've prevented this. Unfortunately for him, he thought being in a gang was more 'cool' and is now six feet deep.

— Meck Sept. 8, 2010 at 10:25 a.m.

@sys: I am a member of the Los Angeles community, and I am grieving for everybody affected by this tragic, preventable and enormously consequential incident. Any peaceful person who cares about others should also be saddened.

You are condoning violence if you say things like "He got what he deserved." How would you feel if your fifteen year-old was shot and killed in your neighborhood (regardless of who his friends were or how much trouble he allegedly caused)? Unless you know exactly what happened, don't talk about people or things you don't know about. Have a heart and some decency and stop disrespecting his grieving family.

I cannot speak for Miguel because I didn't know him, but I do know that some kids don't receive the love, care and/or guidance that they need. I work with foster children, some of whom have been abused, neglected, and/or raised in poor neighborhoods with high crime rates, and they have been forced to fend for themselves. They are inherently good kids confronted with bad influences. My point is that some people aren't given the same chances in life and are faced with much more difficult choices than others. Don't judge them. Help them to improve the quality of their lives and prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

Peace!

— K.P. Sept. 8, 2010 at 1:10 a.m.

I just can't believe that a 15 year old punk could get away with pushing around whom ever he wanted and he was that a 15 year old punk that no body could stand up to him, why? I mean that these so called RAMONA GARDENS are now at peace, Why no one ever complaint about him? He was only 15. I'm sure he did have a mind of a young person. Now his parents are sad and angry, well what did they expect? Were they blind and not really seee what was going on? He pushed hard but some one pushed back harder, now why cold that pushed have not been done with a GUN, I mean what if some one had talked to the parents and told THEM of what ever Miguel was doing wrong !!! If one or both parents knew of his behavior and did nothing to stop it then I say "what did you expect?" It is wrong to say it but, what goes around comes around. Still I do know a few parents that do not care so long their kid is winnning! ( or in some cases is doing the killing ). That is sick if you ask me. My point is don't act the victim if you are not a true one. It is wrong to be happy when some one dies.

— Angelica Sept. 6, 2010 at 11:57 p.m.

@Realist, K.P., COMPTON GUY, N.W.

We all know what must be done to end the murders in our communities. Unfortunately, even the best of people may meet a violent death. Whatever drove the victim down this path was something only he knew. There are other youngsters on the same path. You guys are right we need to be a positive example for our youth.

@Grace Perez

Lady, in these times, the loss of your son engulfs your heart. I hope that God may ease your suffering and grant you the strength to get you through. Nothing in this life can replace your son. A mother's love is unparalleled, no matter what a son may do, a mothers love transcends through space and time. I hope that Miguel's brothers or sisters may also be guided into the path of goodness. A prayer for you and your family that Miguel's soul may rest in peace, strength for you and yours, and peace for your community too.

— Boyle Heights Citizen Sept. 6, 2010 at 11:09 a.m.

Miguel Machuca is a 15yr old thug, Who goes my the moniker name "Silent". He got what he deserved. Silent choose the gangster life style. He enjoyed vandalizing and causing mayhem in the
Romona Gardens Housing Projects, stealing cars, breaking into homes and businesses, spraying graffiti all over the the city and bulling and intimidating other law biding innocent boys and girls just merely going to school and trying to get an education.
"Oops.. too... bad" he finally ran into his match. Silent pulled out his pea-shooter and didn't know how to aim and missed. The other thugs (suspects) got the best out of silent and shot him dead. Silent is now truly "SILENT". We
the good community Neighborhood Watch, can now retake our neighborhood. Nobody here is shedding any tears, we are in jubilee our children don't have to fear no more. Miguel Machuca's Parents are now grieving shedding endless tears and saying my poor little son he was a good boy who had scholastic achievements. he wanted to become a police officer, a doctor, a teacher and even a professional football player. I blame his parents too because they didn't teach silent any morals or the habits with respect to right or wrong conduct.
The true innocent victim of all this was the 11yr. old girl who got shot. My hart goes to her parents and wish the little girl full speedy recovery...
We must tell our children to say no to drugs and gangs at a early age.

— Neighborhood Watch Sept. 6, 2010 at 3:22 a.m.

HEY GRACE ITS ME LUZ AKA E.T. IM REALLY SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED to uR son grace iM really reallyyyy sorry but u gots to be strong for ur other kids and so what, what these people say people always going to talk regardless if he was a good kid or not but i know he was a good kid i remember him and im really sorry for ur lost grace :0( i just lost my brother too on march and im truly sorry for ur lOSt gracie stay up always and i hope i get of hold oF u soon to taLK TO U.TELL UR KIDS IM SO SORRY FOR THERE lil brothers lost ok and i hope u remember me i was ur neighbor years ago.god bless ur familia gracie be strong ok iM sorry grace.may miguel machuca rip......ALSO RIP MY CARNAL JOSE CASTILLO AKA LTOKER TRULY BEING MISSED :..0( STOP THE VIOLENCE PEOPLE DAMN

— LUZ Sept. 4, 2010 at 6:08 p.m.

Most sensible people realize that there is plenty of blame to go around for the current state of affairs. However, ONLY a fool would believe things are getting worse. syscom 3: look around, read some statistics - murder rates continue to drop across the country - especially in LA.

Also, syscom3, you need to face some facts; the LAPD has a bad rap because, well, it has a history of brutality, corruption and incompetence. If you don't believe that, then you need to go read some old LA Times newspapers.

The thing is, people in these communities are beginning to trust police a lot more - it just takes time. Remember that it's only been less than a decade since the LAPD began to resemble a genuine police organization dedicated to making all people safer - not a corrupt free-for-all with members offering contract killings to rap music industry executives, among other things.

As far as this murder, it seems everyone agrees that this kid was playing with fire and got burnt. But syscom3, I really don't see how you help anything by coming on these posts all the time and running your mouth with all your ex post facto, self-righteous nonsense.

Do you really care about these communities? Then volunteer at a library in one of their neighborhoods or something. Otherwise, grow up - no sensible Angelino is interested in the infantile assessments of someone with nothing better to do than spout off at the mouth on a homicide blog.

— realist Sept. 4, 2010 at 2:12 p.m.

It seems as though the psychology books have served you well SYSCOM3. I have had run ins with the law. You see, when the rest of us go out in public, we are subjected to random searches, seizures, incarceration,racial profiling, brutal and unjustified beat-downs. You say let's all allow the filthy degenerate scum to go about policing the neighborhoods they know little to nothing about. Don't you have a clue, where you born yesterday? You speak of the evil of the world, yet you can't recognize one of the biggest which is the police. Let's see a time when they give you your share of B.S. and then speak praises to the pigs who will make your life miserable. It is foolish to speak of things you know nothing about. When you finally experience what it's like to live on the other side of the fence, where the grass isn't green, and where the dirt asks for seed to give life then you will understand. If you can't grasp what I am saying, then indeed you should go back to studying your precious basic general psychology, but I guarantee one thing. You won't learn the reality of not being part of a so- called higher society. As a matter of fact, I can and will compare our police as the degenerate scum who assisted in the murder of innocent jews during the second world war. They are people just like you and me that choose to pursue a position of higher authority. That does not mean that the evil of their hearts was cleansed. They went through a nine month process that granted them immunity from law. Yet, they are the ones who use the illegitimate power to abuse the people they long to serve. Now, lets speak of "gang activity". We all know what a gang is. We all know what activity is. If the whole outline of police departments such as the L.A.P.D. doesn't give you a clear definition of both terms, then maybe you should consider enrolling yourself back into school, preferably from bottom to top, K-12 and at an LAUSD school. Then, maybe, you will have a base for some sort of educational backround because what comes from your mind is force-fed and hard to swallow.

— Boyle Heights Citizen Sept. 4, 2010 at 11:42 a.m.

— Boyle Heights Citizen ...... So to you, the word you first used was “cappos”, now you’re telling me I should have known you meant to use the word “capo” or “kapo”. Are you a product of the LAUSD?
Further, it would never have struck me to think of comparing our police with degenerate scum who assisted in genocide. Just how do you equate the two? It’s obvious you (or family members) have had some serious run ins with the law and you’re angry at society and think of gang activity as just something that happens, and it means little in the scheme of things. Like I said before, for you; the abnormal has become the normal, and the rest of us have to accept abnormal conduct!

This is the difference in worlds between us – last night I went to a street fair with several thousand people (of all races) in attendance. The police were friendly, people chatted with them and they made sure there were no problems with anyone. And you know what; not one gangster was to be seen, and there were no problems at all. Now tell me that would happen in these killing field neighborhoods that make up the HR.

— syscom3 Sept. 4, 2010 at 8:23 a.m.

@syscom3 >For you, a violence filled world has become the norm. To a huge majority of people in this state, we want no part of it. We prefer to die of old age, not hit by stray bullets from sociopaths.<

You dont need to comment thats, the bloggers own business, you are one of the very few sociopaths on the Hr

Get a new past time besides trying to bring grieving people down

cops, popo, onetime, bluboyz - the la pd and sheriffs department are one of the biggest gangs in L.A. they just wear a badge, I agree with Boyle Heights Citizen,

hmm why doesnt the lapd and sheriffs dept have cameras on during any interaction with citizens? oh yeah murder on tape is not a good look... i bet if they had head cameras that can see what they see, there will be a lot less citizens being shot "reaching for there waist" - the technology is now available for use

— Nosyscom3 Sept. 3, 2010 at 4:03 p.m.

"Why is it that some people have not accepted the fact that police is the biggest part of the problem? "Rally around police and criminal justice system..." get out there and observe the reality of things instead of blocking it with skewed perceptions.”

I have seen both worlds and I prefer my perceptions. When the community supports law enforcement, then the bad people tend to leave or shape up and not cause troubles.

“Anyone will tell you, police is the biggest organized crime ring in the world.”

It seems the only people saying that are the ones who have frequent contact with the police and the criminal justice system.

“Ever heard of the "cappos" in history? Where do you think the word "cop" came from”

Every definition of “cappo” I researched has no correlation with “cop”. Actually “cop” has its roots in an old French word “caper”.

“Get out there, release the fear of dying, and then you will see the foolishness of your words. Another one bites the dust and life goes on but not for everyone, obviously!”

For you, a violence filled world has become the norm. To a huge majority of people in this state, we want no part of it. We prefer to die of old age, not hit by stray bullets from sociopaths.

— syscom3 Sept. 3, 2010 at 1:04 p.m.

Heres the Times news story on this horrific crime.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/08/15-year-old-in-lincoln-heights-fatally-shot-during-theft-of-his-bicycle-gunfire-injures-girl-standing-nearby.html

He was murdered by gangsters. Make no mistake about it. Sociopaths. Psychopaths. Come on all you gang enablers who think your lifestyle is benevolent. Tell me about the "misunderstood" side of the butchers who murdered him.

And people wonder why I am so down on and show no pity for the families who grieve the loss of their gangster relatives.

This is why the community must rally around the police and criminal justice system to aggressively go after the gangs, their enablers and their families who tacitly support them. Put them on the run so law abiding people don't have to fear the predators who will kill for no reason.

— syscom3 Sept. 2, 2010 at 12:06 a.m.