The tragic tale of a woman whose body was found in alley
This is a really tragic story. It started yesterday when one of our photographers, Hans, heard about a body being found in an alley behind a house in North Hollywood. Rumors flew that maybe it was a overdose from an unknown source. Unfortunately, the story took a darker turn.
A 33-year-old North Hollywood man is accused of choking his girlfriend -- who was four months pregnant -- because she disrespected him, then dumping her body in an alley behind a North Hollywood house, police said this morning.Michael LaBrunda was booked into the Los Angeles County Jail on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of Alisha Johnson, 21, of Westminster, said Los Angeles Police Detective Rich Wheeler. "It's tragic," Wheeler said. "She didn't deserve this. She's 21. And like all 21-year-olds, she was starting her life out."
A resident who lives in the 8100 block of Vanscoy Avenue spotted the body of a woman laying on some tires in an alley and called police about 11 yesterday. Detectives determined the case was a homicide, and after identifying her, contacted family and friends who told police Johnson had told family and friends that she was pregnant by LaBrunda, whom she met at college, Wheeler said.
Police spotted LaBrunda later in his Mazda 626 near Bellaire Avenue and Lorne Street, near where the body was dumped, and detained him for questioning, Wheeler said.
LaBrunda told police that he choked her in his car after she disrespected him, Wheeler said.