October 2010 Archives

I've written a rather lengthy story today that talks about the death of a Danish student who was killed in the middle of the Harbor Freeway earlier this month. He was a student at the EF International Language School in Redondo Beach. 

A little more than a year ago, I connected on Facebook with an old college friend, Joe Franco. We lost touch after school, but both went into careers at newspapers. Joe now works in communications for a cruise line.

Joe hadn't changed. He looked exactly the same, and his posts were as positive as I remembered him back at the Daily Sundial.

But, in what might have been just a few days after establishing contact, Joe posted some very sad notices, asking his friends to pray for the 19-year-old daughter of one of his buddies.

Taylor Moss was critically injured on the Ventura Freeway in Encino while driving home from a Halloween party. A wrong-way suspected drunken driver plowed into her car. Two of her friends were hurt.

Taylor Moss died.

I remember making a call or two, trying to find out anything I could about the suspected drunken driver to pass on to Joe. I made sure my colleagues at the Daily News knew about the crash. They did stories recounting this awful loss of a young woman just getting started in life. 

A Redondo Beach school was forced to cancel its students' Halloween carnival Friday when a man robbed a nearby bank.

Students at Madison School were locked in their classrooms shortly after the 11:15 a.m. robbery at One West Bank, 2233 Artesia Blvd., police and school officials said.

The robber pulled a gun, waved it around, robbed the bank and ran into the adjacent neighborhood, police said. No one was hurt.

No customers were in the bank.

Officers surrounded the area and began a yard-to-house search with dogs.

Police, meanwhile, advised school officials to keep students inside, said Frank DeSena, Redondo Beach Unified School District assistant superintendent..

The lockdown was lifted at 3:10 p.m.

Police continued searching for the robber for about another 30 minutes, but did not find him.

The robber was described as black, in his late 20s to early 40s and heavy set. He wore a gray T-shirt, gray shorts and white socks with white shoes.

He wore a bandana over his face, and might have had a beard.

Unfortunately for students, the robbery cost them their afternoon Halloween carnival, which was canceled.

Parents and students had game booths and food prepared for the event.

"The hope is that they'll reschedule," DeSena said.

Redondo Beach police are searching for a man who robbed a bank in Redondo Beach this morning.

The man showed a gun and held up One West Bank at 2233 Artesia Blvd. at 11:15 a.m., Redondo Beach police Sgt. Phil Keenan said.

He ran into the surrounding neighborhood.

Sixty-one drivers were cited for talking on their cellular telephones without handsfree devices during a police operation in El Segundo, police said Wednesday.

Officers conducted the operation on Tuesday, El Segundo poilce Lt. Ray Garcia said.

In addition, four drivers were cited for driving at an unsafe speed, one driver was cited for being unlicensed and another motorist was cited for driving with a suspended license.

A search is underway in San Pedro for an armed robber and kidnapping suspect who apparently crashed into a bus as he tried to make his escape, authorities said.

The search is under way near 21st and Gaffey streets, police said.

Information was sketchy, but police said a man kidnapped a San Pedro resident and forced him to withdraw money at the Bank of America branch at 25th Street and Western Avenue after 4 p.m.

The man then led police on a chase that ended when the robber crashed into a bus. The robber then ran.

He was described as Latino, bald, heavy and wearing all black clothing.

No one was seriously injured, but the bus driver was taken to a hospital for treatment of a cut.

A man wearing a New York Jets jersey while allegedly robbing a Montana bank is believed to be the same man who wore a Mark Sanchez uniform during a similar crime in Manhattan Beach, police said today.

Vincent John Sullivan, 64, was arrested in Missoula on Tuesday after he allegedly robbed a bank, went out for a breakfast of bacon, eggs and coffee, and took a cab ride for cigarettes, police and witnesses said.

The Montana crime occurred as police in Manhattan Beach were trying to identify a suspect in their robbery, which occurred Oct. 18 at Chase Bank, 201 Manhattan Beach Blvd.

In that crime, a man in the green Mark Sanchez No. 6 football jersey handed a note demanding cash to a teller. He indicated he had a gun.

Detective Michael Rosenberger said the man appeared disheveled and "sort of out of it."

The balding man was described as white, 60 to 65 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a heavy build. He had slicked-back white hair.

On Tuesday, a similarly looking man in a Mark Sanchez jersey walked into the Missoula bank and handed a note to a teller, police said.

"He threatened to have a weapon, but did not display one," Missoula police Sgt. Bob Bouchee said.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, Plaintiff, v. 01 JOHN WESLEY EWELL (03/25/1957) Defendant(s).

CASE NO. SA075757 FELONY COMPLAINT

The undersigned is informed and believes that:

COUNT 1

On or about October 22, 2010, in the County of Los Angeles, the crime of MURDER, in violation of PENAL CODE SECTION 187(a), a Felony, was committed by JOHN WESLEY EWELL, who did unlawfully, and with malice aforethought murder LEAMON TURNAGE, a human being.
"NOTICE: The above offense is a serious felony within the meaning of Penal Code Section 1192.7(c) and a violent felony within the meaning of Penal Code Section 667.5(c)."


It is further alleged that the murder of was committed by defendant(s), JOHN WESLEY EWELL while the said defendant was/were engaged in the commission of the crime of robbery in violation of Penal Code Section 211 and 212.5, within the meaning of Penal Code Section 190.2(a)(17).
* * * * *

COUNT 2

On or about October 22, 2010, in the County of Los Angeles, the crime of MURDER, in violation of PENAL CODE SECTION 187(a), a Felony, was committed by JOHN WESLEY EWELL, who did unlawfully, and with malice aforethought murder ROBYN TURNAGE, a human being.
"NOTICE: The above offense is a serious felony within the meaning of Penal Code Section 1192.7(c) and a violent felony within the meaning of Penal Code Section 667.5(c)."


It is further alleged that the murder of was committed by defendant(s), JOHN WESLEY EWELL while the said defendant was/were engaged in the commission of the crime of robbery in violation of Penal Code Section 211 and 212.5, within the meaning of Penal Code Section 190.2(a)(17).

It is further alleged as to count(s) 1 and 2 that the offenses charged in counts 1 and 2 are a special circumstance within the meaning of Penal Code Section 190.2(a)(3).

* * * * *

COUNT 3

On or about October 22, 2010, in the County of Los Angeles, the crime of 1ST DEGREE RESIDENTIAL ROBBERY, in violation of PENAL CODE SECTION 211, a Felony, was committed by JOHN WESLEY EWELL, who did unlawfully and by means of force and fear take personal property from the person, possession and immediate presence of LEAMON TURNAGE and said offense was perpetrated in an inhabited dwelling house, trailer coach and inhabited portion of a building.
"NOTICE: The above offense is a violent felony within the meaning of Penal Code 667.5(c)."
"NOTICE: The above offense is a serious felony within the meaning of Penal Code section 1192.7(c)."

* * * * *

COUNT 4

On or about October 22, 2010, in the County of Los Angeles, the crime of 1ST DEGREE RESIDENTIAL ROBBERY, in violation of PENAL CODE SECTION 211, a Felony, was committed by JOHN WESLEY EWELL, who did unlawfully and by means of force and fear take personal property from the person, possession and immediate presence of ROBYN TURNAGE and said offense was perpetrated in an inhabited dwelling house, trailer coach and inhabited portion of a building.
"NOTICE: The above offense is a violent felony within the meaning of Penal Code 667.5(c)."
"NOTICE: The above offense is a serious felony within the meaning of Penal Code section 1192.7(c)."

* * * * *

It is further alleged pursuant to Penal Code sections 1170.12(a) through (d) and 667(b) through (i) as to count(s) 1, 2, 3 and 4 that said defendant(s), JOHN WESLEY EWELL, has suffered the following prior convictions of a serious or violent felony or juvenile adjudication:

Case No. Charge Code/Statute Conv. Date County of Court State Court Type
A091291 PC211 07/23/2005 LOS ANGELES CA SUPERIOR
A649381 PC211 02/15/1988 LOS ANGELES CA SUPERIOR



It is further alleged as to count(s) 1, 2, 3 and 4 pursuant to Penal Code section 667(a)(1) that the defendant(s), JOHN WESLEY EWELL, has suffered the following prior conviction(s) of a serious felony:

Case No. Charge Code/Statute Conv. Date County of Court State Court Type
A091291 PC211 07/23/2005 LOS ANGELES CA SUPERIOR
A69381 PC211 02/15/1988 LOS ANGELES CA SUPERIOR



It is further alleged as to count(s) 1, 2, 3 and 4 pursuant to Penal Code section 667.5(b) that the defendant(s), JOHN WESLEY EWELL, has suffered the following prior conviction(s):

Case No. Charge Code/Statute Conv. Date County of Court State Court Type
A091291 PC211 07/23/2005 LOS ANGELES CA SUPERIOR
A649381 PC211 02/15/1988 LOS ANGELES CA SUPERIOR



and that a term was served as described in Penal Code section 667.5 for said offense(s), and that the defendant did not remain free of prison custody for, and did commit an offense resulting in a felony conviction during, a period of five years subsequent to the conclusion of said term.

NOTICE: Conviction of this offense will require the defendant to provide DNA samples and print impressions pursuant to Penal Code sections 296 and 296.1. Willful refusal to provide the samples and impressions is a crime.

NOTICE: The People of the State of California intend to present evidence and seek jury findings regarding all applicable circumstances in aggravation, pursuant to Penal Code section 1170(b) and Cunningham v. California 2007 U.S. LEXIS 1324.

NOTICE: A Suspected Child Abuse Report (SCAR) may have been generated within the meaning of Penal Code §§ 11166 and 11168 involving the charges alleged in this complaint. Dissemination of a SCAR is limited by Penal Code §§ 11167 and 11167.5 and a court order is required for full disclosure of the contents of a SCAR.

I DECLARE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT THE FOREGOING IS TRUE AND CORRECT AND THAT THIS COMPLAINT, CASE NUMBER SA075757, CONSISTS OF 4 COUNT(S).


Executed at LOS ANGELES, County of Los Angeles, on October 26, 2010.

_____________________________________
PETER HECHT
DECLARANT AND COMPLAINANT


STEVE COOLEY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY

BY:

ROBERT GRACE JR, DEPUTY

AGENCY:	LASD - HOMICIDE BUREAU	I/O:	PETER HECHT	ID NO.:	248526	PHONE:	(323) 890-5500
DR NO.:	010001133199011	OPERATOR:	JR	PRELIM. TIME EST.:

BOOKING BAIL CUSTODY
DEFENDANT CII NO. DOB NO. RECOM'D R'TN DATE

EWELL, JOHN WESLEY

005395519

3/25/1957

2523553

NO BAIL

10/26/2010

Pursuant to Penal Code Section 1054.5(b), the People are hereby informally requesting that defense counsel provide discovery to the People as required by Penal Code Section 1054.3.
It appearing to me from the evidence presented that the following offense(s) has/have been committed and that there is sufficient cause to believe that the following defendant(s) guilty thereof, to wit:


JOHN WESLEY EWELL

Count No.	Charge	Charge Range	Special Allegation	Alleg. Effect
1	PC 187(a)	Check Code	PC 190.2(a)(17)	LWOP/Death
			PC 190.2(a)(3)	LWOP/Death
2	PC 187(a)	Check Code	PC 190.2(a)(3)	LWOP/Death
			PC 190.2(a)(17)	LWOP/Death
3	PC 211	3-4-6
4	PC 211	3-4-6
			PC 1170.12(a)-(d)	MSP Check Code
			PC 667(a)(1)	+5 yrs per prior
			PC 667.5(b)	+1 yr. per prior

I order that the defendant(s) be held to answer therefore and be admitted to bail in the sum of:

JOHN WESLEY EWELL ______________________________ Dollars

and be committed to the custody of the Sheriff of Los Angeles County until such bail is given. Date of arraignment in Superior Court will be:

JOHN WESLEY EWELL ______________________ in Dept _______

at: A.M.





Date:

Committing Magistrate

I have been covering crime for more than 20 years and I understand a defendant's right to a fair trial.

But I also understand the "public's right to know." Sometimes these two rights do battle.

Whenever there's a major crime, we try to cover the case in court. Any reporter can go to a public courtroom, but newspaper photographers and television camera crews must get permission from the judge to shoot photos and film.

Some judges hold hearings and rule yes or no. Some say yes and put limitations on how many photographs can be taken. Some judges just say no.

So today, Daily Breeze photographer Brad Graverson and I went to the Airport courthouse to cover the arraignment for John Wesley Ewell, the career criminal charged with killing an innocent couple in Hawthorne.

If what police and prosecutors allege is true, Ewell posed as a utility worker to get into the couple's house, bound and gagged Leamon and Robyn Turnage, strangled them and ransacked the place. Their bodies were found Friday. He was caught on Saturday.

It will have to rank as one of the most heinous crimes I will have covered since I started work as a reporter in the 1980s. Prosecutors have charged him with capital murder, which can lead to the death penalty.

Judge Keith Schwartz today accepted my paperwork and immediately signed approval that we could photograph Ewell. He let Brad and I sit in the jury box to cover the proceeding.

Schwartz had no problem with approving the order. He'd read the paper. He said he had seen Ewell's booking mug, which was released by the Sheriff's Department,  in both print and on the Internet. He said it a couple of times. In other words, photographing Ewell in court would not present any "identification" issues for his trial. His photo was already out there.

The judge also approved a cameraman from KTLA, who was going to record the proceeding for his station and two others who stayed out in the hallway.

From 1:30 to 3 p.m., we waited for the Ewell case, watching one defendant after another come into the courtroom to face Schwartz's wrath. There were a few drug abusers and and an identity thief. There was a rush of people coming through for arraignments that happened so quickly I wasn't able to hear what crimes they had allegedly committed.

Each sat next to a public defender or private attorney.

Finally, Deputy Public Defender Felicia Mizrahi arrived for the Ewell hearing. She saw the cameras and immediately voiced objection.

She said something about keeping Ewell behind a door. I heard that and said quietly, "What?" The judge again mentioned that Ewell's picture was already out there. Mizrahi's colleague responded that they would protect their client's rights.

And then it happened. Sure enough, as a bailiff prepared to bring Ewell from the court lockup area, another bailiff put something over a window in the door, blocking any view through it.The bailiffs and defense attorneys and others in the courtroom appeared to be laughing.

Ewell never entered the courtroom. They had him stand behind the door. You couldn't even see him through the window.

That's the shot up there. How ridiculous is that?

Police released photographs Tuesday of two men who robbed a check cashing business at gunpoint in Gardena.

Detectives hope someone can identify them.

The robbery occurred at 9:45 a.m. Oct. 15 at Orange Rocket Check Cashing in the 15300 block of Western Avenue, Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast said.

The men robbed the employees and customers of personal belongings and cash and took off.
One man is described as black, in his 40s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, 220 pounds. He wore a black-hooded sweatshirt and dark pants and had gray and black facial hair.

The second man was a younger black male adult, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, and 155 pounds. He wore a light gray hooded sweatshirt with vertical stripes and distinctive designer jeans. He was wearing a mask that covered most of his face.
 
The men are suspected in other South Bay robberies.

Anyone with ifnormation should call Gardena police Detective Mike Ross at 310-217-6135 or Detective Brian Messina at 310-217-9637.

This is Leamon and Robyn Turnage, the Hawthorne homicide victims  from 142nd Street on Friday. John Wesley Ewell, 53,  is suspected of killing them last week.

Below them is Hanna Morcos, another Hawthorne man who died of a heart attack while bound and robbed in his home not far away. Ewell officially has not been tied to the crime, but is being looked at for it.

City News Service

A man accused of killing a Hawthorne couple, and also suspected in a fatal home invasion robbery in that city, was in custody today on $1 million bail pending his first court appearance
tomorrow.

John Wesley Ewell, 53, was arrested Saturday and booked on suspicion of murdering Robyn
Turnage, 57, and her husband Leamon Turnage, 69.

They were found dead about 3:45 p.m. Friday in their home in the 4100 block of West 142nd
Street.

Sheriff's Lt. Dave Coleman said the victims were beaten and strangled after returning to the
Southland from a trip to Florida to visit their son and daughter-in-law for the birth of their first
grandchild.

Ewell is also suspected in a home-invasion robbery last month in which an 80-year-old man
died of a heart attack, according to sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.

A $10,000 reward was recently offered for information leading to a conviction in the death of
Hanna Morcos, a retired county employee who was attacked in his home in the 4100 block of
West 137th Street about 3:40 p.m. on Sept. 24. His wife was in the house, but was
uninjured.

Ewell was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at the Airport Courthouse. 

A man and woman have been found slain at a Hawthorne home, police and neighbors said.

Police said it is believed to be a double-murder.

The bodies were discovered about 4 p.m. today in the 4100 block of West 142nd Street. One body was outside near a home's garage and the other was inside, said neighbor Jose De La Torre.

Hawthorne police said the Sheriff's Department would be handling the case and declined comment.

"Sheriff's deputies just arrived in a white SUV," De La Torre said shortly after 6 p.m. "They are standing nex to the Hawthorne Police Department."

Records show the property is a triplex.

No other information was available.

A former Redondo Union High School teacher was sentenced Tuesday to perform 480 hours of community service for exposing himself to a student, a 16-year-old girl who said his act caused her "hurt, shame, anxiety and embarrassment."

Louis Jay Haddad, 50, also was forced to resign from his job, surrender his teaching credential, and stay away from children other than his own under the terms of his plea agreement with the Redondo Beach City Prosecutor's Office.

Judge Sandra Thompson also placed Haddad on three years probation, ordered him to pay about $2,100 in fines and sentenced him to 180 days in jail if he fails to complete the community service.

"You are not to be teaching any minor children," Thompson said.

The full story will come soon to dailybreeze.com and

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck's mother Elma Beck has died at her San Pedro home, police said Tuesday. She was 87.

Elma Beck died with her family and friends around her. She recently was diagnosed with cancer.
Born Sept. 15, 1923 in Nanaimo, Canada, Beck earned a nursing degree in 1945 from St. Paul School of Nursing and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career.

In 1966, she earned her bachelor's degree and teaching credential at Long Beach State University. She taught the fifth grade for 19 years at Ramona Elementary School in Bellflower.

Elma Beck was a lifelong athlete who competed in numerous marathons and power-lifting events. She holds a holds a national title for power-lifting in her age and weight category. She also was an artist whose paintings are displace in several South Bay area galleries and restaurants.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, retired LAPD Deputy Chief George Beck,her children, Charlie and Megan; and six grandchildren who are Los Angeles police officers; and one great-grandchild.

Services will be private. Donations may be made to the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation.

Bonus video of the Hawthorne shooting. It occurs about 25-30 seconds in.

Hawthorne police just released surveillance photographs of the suspects and victim in a recent shooting in the hope someone can identify them.

The victim, photographed clearly at left, never reported the Oct. 2 shooting. Detectives do not know if he was hit, and no one showed up at a hospital for treatment in the hours after the gunfire, Hawthorne police Lt. Gary Tomatani said.

"We have not identified anybody," Tomatani said. "We don't know who these people are."

The shooting occurred about 10:45 p.m. outside a liquor store in the 4500 block of Imperial Highway.

Tomatani said both suspects and the victim were inside the store before it happened. No confrontation occurred there.

The suspects, smiling in the photo below, left the store first, but waited in the parking lot. When the victim exited the store, one of the suspects chased him

and shot at him multiple times with a handgun.

The motive was not known, but it could be gang-related, Tomatani said.

"We're figuring the best hope for our investigation is somebody from the public recogngnizes the individuals in the photographs," Tomatani said.

Tomatani said police have a pretty strong case with clear photographs.

"It's not often we get a photograph of that quality," he said.

Anyone with information should contact detectives at 310-349-2820.

The victim of the shooting outside Banning High was Jose Torres, 17, of Wilmington.

He apparently was enrolled at Banning, but has not attended class for at least a couple weeks, police said.

Full updated story coming soon.

Three robbers escaped with $1,200 in a takeover-style robbery at a Torrance supermarket, police said Monday.

The crime occurred about 12:10 a.m. Sunday at the Ralphs at Crenshaw and Artesia boulevards, Torrance police Sgt. Jeremiah Hart said.

Each armed with a handgun, the robbers entered the store and ordered at least six people to the floor.

They demanded that the manager open the safe, but he said he could not because it had a time lock. The robbers looked and agreed.

They then took the cash from three registers and fled.

No one was hurt.

The robbers were black, wearing black sweat shirts with hoods and black bandanas, police said.

Their getaway car was found later abandoned on Glenburn Avenue.

Target has donated $4,000 to the Inglewood Police Department, where officers will use it to support local youth activities, police said.

The Inglewood Police Athletic League will use the contribution to help pay for its holiday programs that include a toy/food basket giveaway for families.

The Inglewood Police Athletic League provides educational, recreational and athletic activities for Inglewood youth. The programs help to develop respect, responsibility and discipline, as well as improve school performance, resolve conflicts, and occupy their out-of-school time productively.

Found this press release on the Iredell County, N.C. Sheriff's Office website related to a Redondo Beach crime:

Sheriff Phil Redmond stated: On 10/06/2010 Iredell County Sheriff's Office Detectives received information regarding an individual attempting to sale a stolen Harley Davidson Motorcycle via craigslist.com.

Working in conjunction with Mooresville Police Detectives, it was learned that there was in fact an ad on craigslist.com placed by the suspect, Darik Anthony Fernandez 47, of 128 Double Eagle Dr. Mooresville, NC advertising a 1997 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail for sale or trade, or to "part out". Through the investigation, a VIN was obtained on the motorcycle and checked and confirmed to be stolen out of Redondo Beach, CA. Furthermore, a driver's license check also yielded that Fernandez once had a California ID listing a Redondo Beach address.

Det. Sgt. J. Wingler with the Sheriff's Office and Lt. G. Childress with Mooresville Police Department responded to the suspect's address at 128 Double Eagle Dr., detectives searched the garage where the suspect admitted the bike was. Upon checking the VIN it was found to be the same bike entered stolen from Redondo Beach. Detectives also learned that Fernandez had a stolen North Carolina Registration Plate on the Motorcycle from Mooresville. Fernandez declined to speak with detectives about the property. The bike was seized by Det. Sgt. Wingler as well as the registration plate and Fernandez was arrested for Possession of a stolen Motor vehicle and possession of stolen goods. Fernandez was placed under a $5000.00 secure bond.

Upon further investigation and contacting Redondo Beach Police Detectives, it was learned that Fernandez had actually been the reporting party involving the original motorcycle theft. A copy of the Redondo Beach police investigation was obtained and it revealed, Fernandez had stated that the bike was stolen from him out of a secure parking lot. It was also learned that Fernandez had obtained insurance monies for the stolen bike. Though working with Redondo Detectives, Fernandez with face additional charges of insurance fraud and filing a false police report. The motorcycle will be returned to the insurance company. The motorcycle is valued at $14,000.00.

**update. Here's the story.


* He actually was a parasailer....Story shortly.

Apparently over the weekend a hang glider fell to his death near the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes.

A homicide detective told me the preliminary information is that the man was standing on the beach at 6:25 p.m. Saturday when a sudden gust of wind lifted him 100 feet into the air. He lost his grip and fell.

We don't have anything more than that at this point.

Carson sheriff's deputies will conduct a crime prevention seminar at 10 a.m. Saturday at Mills Park, 1340 E. Dimondale Dr.

Topics will include crime trends, crime scene investigations, traffic investigations, sexual assault teams and emergency preparedness.

The seminar is free.

So, a while back this blog -- and many others here at the Breeze -- became overrun with spam comments. They flew in at us. Hundreds of bogus comments. Most were kind of nice because most were positive, saying they liked the reporting and thought this blog was good.

Obviously they were spam.

The way this blog is set up, I get an email to let me know every time a comment comes in. Needless to say, my Inbox was overrun. Denise Nix, when she worked here, had the same problem.

When we complained, the tech department (ok, it's good ole Chris) upped the strength of the spam filter and added the little letters you have to fill in. The spam then ended.

But so did the rest of the comments.

I figured no one was reading this anymore, but it turns out there were about 15 comments that went straight to the spam filter.

I just posted them.

So, sorry about that.

And we are right back at it. The first one I read started: "Hey Altman you Jack A#$..."

So glad to hear from you again.

This just in from my colleague Melissa Pamer:

An administrative assistant at a Harbor Gateway elementary school has been arrested and charged with stealing more than $100,000 from campus accounts.

Lisa Castro was taken into custody Wednesday on felony charges of embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and forgery in relation to her oversight of three accounts at Halldale Avenue Elementary School.

Between June 2005 and September 2009, the 46-year-old San Pedro woman allegedly stole about $100,000 and misappropriated another $34,000 from a school account, a parent-teacher organization account and a student body account, Deputy District Attorney Gary Nielsen said.

After a Daily Breeze article last week on the death of Manhattan Beach police Officer Jeff Goodrich reported he was one of four officers on administrative leave while under investigation for his alleged role in the cover-up of a hit-and-run crash, some of his friends took us to task for not reporting on the more positive aspects of his life.

Goodrich battled cancer for nearly two years before dying Sept. 30. Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday at King's Harbor Church, 23915 Garnier St., Torrance.

Mike DeMott of Rancho Palos Verdes:

"I was very saddened last week to learn that Jeff had passed away from his hard fought battle with cancer. I've known Jeff since he was a youngster. Not only was he an outstanding person and athlete through high school & college, he was a true giver to his community.

I recall some of Jeff's many contributions; raising substantial funds for middle schools in organizing soccer tournaments between the schools, volunteering his time to the Extreme Home Makeover program that helped a fellow police officer in Redondo Beach who had a paralyzing injury, and when he donated his time out of his busy schedule to help me coach my son's club soccer team.

Jeff will also be remembered as a fine & upstanding builder. Jeff worked for my construction company early in his career and I had the pleasure of recommending him to the Contractor's Board for his license, an easy task given Jeff's many talents and skills.

 Considering Jeff's helpful and volunteering ways, it was not surprising that he joined Manhattan Beach's police dept. where he could serve his community even more. Jeff will certainly be missed on so many different levels, by his loving family, a community he devoted himself to, and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Rich Heffernan, teacher/coach, Palos Verdes High School, PVHS graduate, class of 1976:

"Jeff graduated from Palos Verdes High School in 1987 where he was a 3 sport Athlete (soccer, football & track/field). He was an active member of the Key Club, a service organization, the WASC Committee and the Scrub Club. His father, Ron, coached the Junior Varsity boy's soccer team while Jeff was a student at PVHS. Jeff was an constant source of inspiration to his teammates in the soccer program and was a leading scorer for the 1987 Varsity Soccer Team, coached by Alan King."

To read more about Goodrich's personal life, check out the obituary The Beach Reporter published today. And feel free to share your remembrances in the comments.

The Los Angeles Police Department will hold a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday to honor seven officers killed in the line of duty while assigned to the Hollywood station.

The ceremony at 1358 N. Wilcox Ave. will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the killing of Detective Russell Kuster, who died in 1990. Also to be honored are Clyde Pritchett, Robert J. Cote, Clay Hunt, Charles Heim, Ian J. Campbell and Joe Rios.

Past and present officers will stand with the surviving relatives of the officers to pay their respects. An LAPD honor guard and the department's mounted unit will participate.

The Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Watch program will discuss disaster preparedness and "Are You Ready To Respond?" at a meeting Oct. 12.

Representatives from public works and the police and fire departments, along with the Community Emergency Response Team, will provide information.

A panel of local experts from animal control, the American Red Cross and local businesses will answer questions.

The meeting will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Joslyn Center, 1601 Valley Dr.

A worker at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Harbor City was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after he allegedly stabbed another worker in the neck, police said today.

Jonathan Robles, 21, of Wilmington "just snapped," Los Angeles police Lt. David McGill said.
Robles and the victim were working in a records room on Tuesday afternoon when Robles suddenly attacked the co-worker with a small pocket knife, McGill said.

"He was trying to cut his neck not in a stabbing motion, but more in a slicing motion," McGill said.

Other workers subdued Robles.

No fight or altercation occurred before the incident. Robles has no criminal record and could not explain his action, McGill said.

"We don't know why it happened," McGill said. "He's telling the police he just snapped."

The victim did not suffer serious injuries.

Redondo Beach police issued this correction today to a press release issued last week.