Torrance murder-suicide related to noise dispute, neighbors say
A murder-suicide in Torrance involved two neighbors who had been embroiled in a long-running dispute over noise that apparently boiled over on Sunday, neighbors said Monday.
The men, who lived upstairs and downstairs from each other, had each complained about the other during the last year.
"It was a noise issue between these two," said Cesar Rodriguez, general manager of the Carioca Garden Apartments in the 4000 block of 242nd Street. "We talked to both of them and told them to respect each other."
According to neighbors, the upstairs resident -- who worked from home -- complained about the downstairs neighbor's music. The downstairs neighbor became upset because the upstairs neighbor stomped around.
The men, who lived upstairs and downstairs from each other, had each complained about the other during the last year.
"It was a noise issue between these two," said Cesar Rodriguez, general manager of the Carioca Garden Apartments in the 4000 block of 242nd Street. "We talked to both of them and told them to respect each other."
According to neighbors, the upstairs resident -- who worked from home -- complained about the downstairs neighbor's music. The downstairs neighbor became upset because the upstairs neighbor stomped around.
Not long ago, neighbors said, the downstairs resident fell from a chair and tore ankle ligaments as he pounded on his ceiling.
The dispute turned deadly on Sunday afternoon when the upstairs neighbor shot the downstairs neighbor to death, and then took his own life in his apartment.
Neighbors overheard the upstairs neighbor yelling about the downstairs' resident's music before the shots rang out.
Neighbor Dianne Karjian said she heard a burst of five or six shots, a pause, and a four more shots.
Police arrived to find the downstairs resident dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
A special weapons team surrounded the complex and waited for a search warrant to be signed to enter the upstairs apartment.
When they entered about 1 a.m. Monday, they found the gunman had killed himself.
The men's names were not immediately released.
Residents said the upstairs neighbor seemed strange to them for a long time.
"He wouldn't acknowledge you or would give you a dirty look," Karjian said.
At one time, he was spotted walking around with a gun.
"The guy upstairs was insane," Karjian said
The dispute turned deadly on Sunday afternoon when the upstairs neighbor shot the downstairs neighbor to death, and then took his own life in his apartment.
Neighbors overheard the upstairs neighbor yelling about the downstairs' resident's music before the shots rang out.
Neighbor Dianne Karjian said she heard a burst of five or six shots, a pause, and a four more shots.
Police arrived to find the downstairs resident dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
A special weapons team surrounded the complex and waited for a search warrant to be signed to enter the upstairs apartment.
When they entered about 1 a.m. Monday, they found the gunman had killed himself.
The men's names were not immediately released.
Residents said the upstairs neighbor seemed strange to them for a long time.
"He wouldn't acknowledge you or would give you a dirty look," Karjian said.
At one time, he was spotted walking around with a gun.
"The guy upstairs was insane," Karjian said
About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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