March 2009 Archives

A West Covina woman found dead in a closet has presented a vexing mystery to investigators.

How did Susan Molina, 44, die?

The Los Angeles Department of Coroner says blunt force trauma, but has deferred a finding until it has a complete toxicology report.

West Covina homicide investigators have taken the case, but released little information.

Those investigators told several witnesses they were looking for a mystery woman and a car in connection with the case. We're tracking down as much as we can...

If you have any ideas, share 'em.

 

Edi Faal, the attorney representing the family of Leroy Barnes, said he learned at a community meeting this morning that Barnes was shot seven times in the back by officers.

We are working to verify this information. Obviously the coroner's report will contain much of the needed proof.

Meanwhile, Pasadena police Chief Melekian is still scheduling a 2:30 p.m. meeting with the media to release the findings of his department's investigation into Barnes' shooting.

Melekian said the Office of Independent Review, which handles similar inquiries for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, will conduct its own investigation.

Something about this case struck a nerve in Covina. I've had tons of phone calls about the neighborhood, which is an apparently drug and gang infested portion of Covina that gets little in the way of daily police attention.

Cops first described the victim Ocie May as a transient, but his family, residents of Covina, insisted that Ocie was anything but a transient.

Witnesses said they called and offered police information after the slaying but were never contacted by detectives.

The suspects' sister insists her brothers are innocent and have been set up.

Here's the story:

COVINA - A pair of brothers have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man in a dark alley, authorities said Monday.

Arrested on suspicion of murder were Arnett and Wakeem Ghoston, police said.

Killed was Ocie Daniel May, 26, a Covina resident.

Arnett was being held in lieu of $1 million, according to Los Angeles County jail records. Joaquin had not been booked as of 7:30 p.m. Monday.

"We've got the two in custody," Covina police Sgt. Rick Walczak said.

The arrest of two men in connection with the shooting matches a description provided by a witness to the shooting Monday.

May, 26, was slain in an alleyway in the 600 block of East Ruddock Street. Police said the killing followed an altercation that occurred about 8 p.m. Thursday.

Pasadena police Chief Barney Melekian met over lunch Monday with me and Pasadena Star-News City Editor Hector Gonzalez.

The primary purpose of the meeting was a wide-ranging discussion of the officer involved shooting that led to the death of Leroy Barnes in Pasadena in February.

Melekian said his department's investigation had concluded the shotting was justified. He also said that the facts of the case in some way explain the two statements issued in the immediate aftermath of Barnes' death.

The Chief also said he regretted putting together a statement so early. But explained it was his way of compensating for taking 14 hours to release a statement in the wake of the last fatal Pasadena OIS.

"Fourteen hours was too long," he admitted. "Next time I'll find that golden window of opportunity between 90 minutes and 14 hours."

Melekian also lamented the decline of newspapers in America. And likened the plight of journalists and newspapers to the status of police departments and police officers 20 years ago.

"It seems like you all are talking just among yourselves," he said. Cops "used to do that. But then we learned."

The lunch took place at Japon Bistro on Colorado. Hector ordered tempura and california roll; the chief had the tempura and sushi plate. 

 

 

Here's an excerpt from a story reporter Tania Chatila is working on for tommorrow:

WEST COVINA -- Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 44-year-old woman, whose body was discovered Saturday in the bedroom of a home authorities believe she'd been sharing with roommates for almost a year.
Susan Molina may have been dead for several days before a visitor at the home, in the 2700 block of Lark Hill Drive, phoned police about 12:15 p.m. reporting a dead body in a room, West Covina police Lt. Ron Mitchell said.
Authorities did not know Saturday how Molina died, but did suspect a homicide, said Sgt. Joseph Sevilla.
"According to initial reports, there possibly was blunt force injuries," said Jerry McKibben, an investigator with the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.
An autopsy is scheduled for today, McKibben said.
Witnesses told police Molina had been living at the home for about 10 months. She shared the residence with the homeowner and several other roommates, Mitchell said.

For the full story, click here.

 

Two unrelated shootings were reported late Friday night and early Saturday morning, leaving one man dead and another wounded.

In La Puente, a man was fatally shot as he congregated with friends in his own neighborhood early Saturday.

In Montebello, a man was and wounded by a group of assailants. He is expected to survive.

Officials said both shooting appeared to be gang-related.

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- A man and woman were arrested Friday on suspicion of stealing about $40,000 worth of athletic equipment from two local schools in recent weeks, authorities said.
Martha McRae, 44, and Mark Wallace, 40, both of La Canada Flintridge, are suspected of breaking into La Canada High School and Flintridge Preparatory School, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Gary Ogurek said.
The burglaries occurred over several days about three weeks ago, officials said.
Detectives investigating the burglaries served a search warrant about 8 a.m. at a home in the 2100 block of La Canada Crest Drive, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Gary Ogurek said.
Inside, property allegedly taken in the burglaries was found, as well as information which led officials to a second location in Montrose, where more allegedly stolen property was found, the sergeant said.
The majority of the property taken from the school's was recovered, he added.
McRae and Wallace were booked on suspicion of burglary, receiving stolen property and possession of methamphetamine for sales, Ogurek said.
According to court records, both suspects are being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and are due for arraignment in Pasadena Superior Court Wednesday.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - A CNN journalist and seven other people have been arrested for standing on top of sandbag levees in the Fargo area.

Fargo Police Sgt. Ross Renner didn't have many details of the journalist's arrest, but said the man appeared to be taking pictures at the time.

He says officers made the arrests Wednesday and Thursday after seeing people climb up on the dikes. Renner says police will arrest anyone they see on top of a dike out of concern for people's safety and the integrity of the levees. He says it's likely all those arrested have been released.

A takeover specialist targeting banks in central California is being sought by the FBI. The Sleeves bandit has apparently worked as far south as La Crescenta and La Canada Flintridge, according to a press release issued Friday.

Here's a larger gallery of photos: Sleeves_Bandit_Photo_Album.pdf

Press release on the jump...

Here's the story, first reported in our sister paper the Daily Breeze by Larry Altman:

Whale watchers on a boat a quarter-mile off Redondo Beach on Wednesday spotted a woman's body floating in the water.

Rayshawn and Nick Blackwell of Monrovia were brought into a Pasadena courtroom this morning to face charges in the Jan. 26 slaying of Sammantha Salas in an unincorporated portion of southern Monrovia. 

PASADENA _ Two men suspected in the January 2008 slaying of 16-year-old Sammantha Salas in Monrovia are scheduled for arraignment on charges of murder and attempted murder in superior court this morning, officials said.

Rayshawn Blackwell and Nickleis Blackwell, who are both in custody will be charged with the Jan 26, 2008 slaying of Salas and the attempted murder of her unidentified friend.

The shooting came during a turf battle between black and hispanic gangs in the Monrovia area. Salas mother' Jeanette Chavez, said she was notified of the arrests last evening.

"I'm really excited to hear about this," Chavez said. "I was able to sleep. And this morning I got up early."

Chavez admitted following the case through the legal system won't be easy.

"That's going to be a challenge," she said."

It's unclear if a reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Salas'e killers' played a factor in the arrests of the Blackwells. The two match a pair of composite drawings cuirculated in the case late last year. On Thursday, detectives identified a third teen who was at the scene of the Salas shooting. He apparently fled when shots rang out and was difficult to locate until recently. The teen was not identified.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's homicide Lt. Dan Rosenberg said the teen was not a gang member.

The detective described the slaying as an "ambush-type attack."

From the Associated Press:

From the Associated Press:

NEW YORK -- A law enforcement source says a teenager arrested for stabbing a veteran New York City radio reporter told police the victim offered him $60 for rough sex.
Police officials say sixteen-year-old John Katehis (KAY'tis) confessed to killing George Weber shortly after being taken into custody late Tuesday in Middletown, N.Y.
A law enforcement official, speaking on condition anonymity because charges are still being drawn up, says Wednesday the suspect claims the victim offered the cash for violent sex.
Katehis describes himself as a sadomasochist on his MySpace page, which features photos of a knife collection.
Charges against the Queens teen were pending. The name of his attorney was not immediately available.
Weber's body was found Sunday. His ankles were bound and he was stabbed about 50 times.
Weber worked at WABC in New York for 12 years as the on-air reporter. He also had worked at stations in California, Denver and Pennsylvania.

 

This comes from our counterparts at the San Bernardino County Sun:

POMONA - A 14-year-old boy was accidently shot in the head by his father Monday night and remained in critical condition Tuesday afternoon, Pomona police Sgt. Rick Baker said.

The father had returned home from a gun range and was cleaning or putting away his weapons when a gun accidentally discharged at about 6:30 p.m., striking the boy in the head, Baker said.

"It's a pretty tragic circumstance the family is dealing with right now," Baker said.

Baker said the boy was taken by helicopter Monday for emergency surgery at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

Baker said police are not releasing the names of the boy or the father at this time. The family lives in the 1600 block of American Avenue, Baker said.

Baker said police did not arrest the father, and will continue to collect information on the incident to present to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for review.

From the Associated Press:

ANAHEIM -- Investigators say the suspected killer of two Southern California Gas Co. employees last week blamed the victims for forcing him to resign from the utility's Anaheim office.
Phong Thuc Tran is believed to be the killer of 37-year-old Hung Duy Dao, whose body was found in his car outside the utility's Anaheim office, and 43-year-old Charles Santisteban, a supervisor killed in his Pomona driveway the next day.
Tran was found in his SUV with a self-inflicted gunshot wound outside the Anaheim police station.
He died on Saturday at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange.
Anaheim Sgt. Tim Schmidt says the 36-year-old Tran "had hatred for the victims" because he felt they conspired to force his 2007 resignation.

I just posted this story online. Essentially, LA County has opened a grand jury look into the 1985 disappearance of John and Linda Sohus and the 1994 discovery of bones in a San Marino backyard.

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has convened a grand jury investigation into the 1985 disappearance and possible murder of a San Marino couple, officials said Tuesday.

Clark Rockefeller, 48, facing trial in Boston in connection with the abduction of his daughter last July, has been named a person of interest in the disappearance of John and Linda Sohus 24 years ago.

The case became a homicide investigation in May 1994. It was then that bones, believed to be those of John Sohus, turned up in the back yard of the home the couple shared with Rockefeller, then known as Christopher Chichester.

Attorney Jeffrey Denner, who is representing Rockefeller, did not return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday.

DA spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said she could neither confirm nor deny that a grand jury had been impaneled in the case. "Those proceedings are secret," Gibbons said.

At least two handwriting experts have been asked to submit materials for the inquiry, which is being handled by Deputy District Attorney Catherine Brough of the Major Crimes Division, said a source close to the investigation, who asked not to be identified.

One of those experts, Sheila Lowe, said Tuesday she has been asked to submit materials, including a handwriting analysis chart she prepared for this newspaper.

"I have given lots of opinions before and never been called to testify before a grand jury," Lowe said. "It was quite a surprise."

Channel Four's Doug Kriegel will have a story at 6 p.m. tonight on KNBC detailing a series of extortion threats to various asian businesses in the San Gabriel Valley.

Kriegel said he was tipped to the story thanks to a Chinese-speaking member of the KNBC staff who reads the Chinese Daily News. Today's piece is a follow up to one he ran with on Friday.

"These are Chinese death and extortion threats," Kreigel said.  "Threats from the Taiwanese Mafia."

 

 

From Gloria Allred:

Attorney Gloria Allred and Angels in Waiting (AIW) will hold a news conference Wednesday March 25, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. at 6300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1500, L.A. to reveal the true facts about why Angels in Waiting is no longer providing supportive nursing care to Nadya Suleman's octuplets and other children.

Neither AIW nor Ms. Allred will be available for comments today March 24.

The Dr. Phil show will be releasing a press statement today.

I received this update in the Netter case from an interested observer who asked to remain anonymous:

The jury has been selected in the DeAndre Netter murder trial.

I received a message from Mrs. Yvonne Netter who is in protective custody asking that the community pray for her and DeAndre's surviving twin brother DeJohn.

I hope you can give us updates on the trial. Many of us would like to attend but we fear retaliation from the Guerra and Lopez family.

As you may remember Chris Lopez' brother Matt Lopez coaches football at Temple City High School and this year he was also the JV Soccer Coach so we are afraid to be seen in the courtroom. Any updates are on the trial are greatly appreciated.

FYI: We will update the case this week

Dallas Police officers won't have to worry about translating codes anymore. The PD has as decided to drop English as a second language as part of a more realistic method of communication. Here's a portion of the story from the Dallas Morning News:

Today, the Dallas Police Department moves to a new plain-language system that's supposed to make communications more universal and less complicated. No more of those distinctive radio codes or signals.

The department says it's following a nationwide trend, but some call it the end of an era.

Others say the switch is no big deal. Many Dallas police dispatches already include plain language because it's simple.

"It's a no-brainer," Dallas Police Senior Cpl. Herb Ebsen said. "It's just common sense. If we start speaking in codes, you have a real chance for a problem or misinterpretation."

I always thought the codes were to keep crooks from figuring out what the cops were talking about...

SAN DIMAS - Customers at the Ranch Town Liquor and Deli have erected a makeshift memorial of flowers, candles and signs to a longtime employee who was killed Wednesday in his home in Rancho Cucamonga.

Darel Hakim, 46, of Rancho Cucamonga was fatally shot by masked intruders.

Though Hakim lived in Rancho Cucamonga at the time of his death, he was born in Glendora and has a long history in the foothill cities of the northern San Gabriel Valley.

Watch for a full story in the coming days.

From the Associated Press:

OAKLAND-- Oakland police on Sunday backed off an earlier statement that a fourth officer shot Saturday had died, saying the officer was pronounced brain dead but was still on life support.
Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason announced the death of 41-year-old Officer John Hege earlier Sunday but later said that he was still being kept alive while a final decision was made about donating his organs.
A 26-year-old parolee wanted on a parole violation opened fire on Hege and 40-year-old Sgt. Mark Dunakin after they pulled him over Saturday afternoon, killing Dunakin, police said.
Suspect Lovelle Mixon was slain later Saturday afternoon in a gunfight with police that left two more officers dead. Thomason identified those officers as 43-year-old Sgt. Ervin Romans and 35-year-old Sgt. Daniel Sakai.
Police said never in the department's history had so many officers been killed in the line of
duty in a single day.
The violence began when Hege and Dunakin, both on motorcycles, stopped a 1995 Buick sedan in east Oakland just after 1 p.m., Thomason said. The driver opened fire, killing Dunakin and gravely wounding Hege.
The gunman then fled on foot, police said, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies. Streets were roped off and an entire area of east Oakland closed to traffic.
Around 3:30 p.m. officers got an anonymous tip that the gunman was inside a nearby apartment building. A SWAT team entered an apartment to clear and search it when the gunman opened fire, police said. Romans and Sakai were killed and a third officer was grazed by a bullet, police said.
Officers returned fire, killing Mixon, Acting Oakland police Chief Howard Jordan said.
"It's in these moments that words are extraordinarily inadequate," said Mayor Ron Dellums at a somber news conference announcing the slayings.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered flags at the state capitol flown at half-staff Sunday in honor of the slain officers. Schwarzenegger arrived in Oakland on Sunday afternoon to meet with Dellums and members of the police department.
"All four officers dedicated their lives to public safety and selflessly worked to protect the
people of Oakland," he said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost, the Oakland Police Department and law enforcement officers throughout California during this difficult time."
Police said Mixon wielded two different weapons. One gun was used at the first scene and an assault rifle was used at the apartment building where he was hiding.
"(Mixon) was on parole and he had a warrant out for his arrest for violating that parole. And he was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon," said Oakland police Deputy Chief Jeffery Israel.
Police said they did not know why the officers initially stopped the suspect, but said it
apparently was a routine traffic stop. Thomason said Mixon had an "extensive criminal history" and was wanted on a no-bail warrant.
Reached by telephone late Saturday, Hege's father, Dr. John S. Hege said his son loved being a policeman. He worked well with people and was an Eagle Scout. He played high school football and wrestled. He umpired and coached even as a youth, and joined the Oakland Police Department reserves.
After graduating from St., Mary's College in Moraga, he taught high school
physical education for a few years in nearby Hayward before joining the police department a decade ago.
He recently became a motorcycle traffic patrol officer, Dr. Hege said, adding, "He liked
excitement."
As for the slain shooting suspect, the father said, "The man was evidently terribly desperate. It is a sad story."
LaTasha Mixon, 28, of Sacramento said Sunday her cousin was "not a monster." She said her family's prayers were with the slain officers' relatives.
"We're devastated. Everybody took a major loss. We're crushed," she said.

From the Associated Press:

ANAHEIM-- The suspect in the slayings of two gas company workers has
died several days after being found in his car with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Anaheim police Sgt. Tim Schmidt said Sunday 36-year-old Phong Thuc Tran died Saturday night at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center.
Police believe Tran shot Charles Santisteban, a supervisor at Southern California Gas Co., in his Pomona driveway last week. The other victim, Hung Duy Dao, a field technician, was found dead in his car.
Tran resigned from the utility in 2007. He was found in his SUV outside a police station last Thursday.
Schmidt said Tran was angry at the victims for unknown reasons.

PASADENA -- A police officer working at the Pasadena Marathon Sunday kicked in the door of a burning house and rescued a man trapped inside, officials said.
Paramedics successfully resuscitated one cat that was inside the home, however three others died in the blaze, Pasadena Fire Department Spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
The fire broke out shortly after 7 a.m., just as the 5K Fun Run portion of the marathon was beginning, Derderian said. The burning home was about two blocks from the start of the race, on Del Mar Boulevard near Allen Avenue.
"He heard a gentleman inside the house yelling, so he kicked down the door and helped the resident outside," she said.
Burbank Police officer Kerry Schilf, a 17-year veteran of the force, was assisting Pasadena police with traffic control for the marathon when the fire ignited, Burbank police Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.
Flames were already coming out of the homes windows when Schilf reached the scene, he added.
As the officer approached the house, it became clear there was someone trapped inside, unable to open the door, Derderian said.
A paramedic team, which was also nearby due to the marathon, quickly arrived to treat the 66-year-old man, officials said. His hair was singed but he did not want to go to the hospital.
"His primary concern was his cats," she said.
The paramedics used oxygen to resuscitate one of the animals, she said, while three others died in the fire.
The cause of the blaze, which caused an estimated $150,000 in damage, remained under investigation, Derderian said.
The resident, who was alone in the house, was awakened by a smoke detector, she added. Without the device, "It could have been a lot worse."
Officer Schilf was not injured, Ryburn said.
"He did a wonderful job," he said. "We're very proud of him."

*Photos come courtesy of the Pasadena Fire Department.

From the Associated Press:

OAKLAND -- Four officers were in critical condition and a suspect dead on Saturday after two related shootings, the first after a traffic stop and the second after a massive manhunt ended in gunfire, police said.
Two officers were shot in the first incident just after 1 p.m. after they stopped the suspect's vehicle in east Oakland, said Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason.
The suspect fled the scene on foot into a nearby neighborhood, police said, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies. Streets were roped off and an entire area of east Oakland closed to traffic.
At about 3:30 p.m. officers, acting on an anonymous tip, found the suspect, who had barricaded himself in a building.
"We had SWAT officers go into that building and that's where the second shooting took place," said Thomason.
The suspect was killed during the exchange, and two more officers wounded.
All four officers are in critical condition at Highland Hospital, Thomason said. Dozens of people, including other officers gathered outside the hospital, awaiting word of the officers' condition.
A visibly shaken acting Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said the department was still investigating.
"At this point we don't believe there are other people involved, but it's too early to tell," he said.
Tension between police and the community has risen steadily since the fatal shooting of unarmed 22-year-old Oscar Grant by a transit police officer on Jan. 1. That officer, Johannes Mehserle, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Violent protests erupted on the streets of Oakland in the weeks after Grant's death, further inflaming tensions.
Hours after Saturday's shootings near a busy intersection just blocks from a police substation in east Oakland, people were still at the scene of the first shooting as police tape blocked off streets.
Mo Wiley, 32, of Oakland, said emotions still are raw from the Grant shooting.
"Oakland is a beautiful place," Wiley said. "But I just hate when it gets ugly like this."
Meanwhile about 20 people taunted police near the scene of the first shooting, saying the incidents were "payback for Oscar."
The mood was somber outside the police station in east Oakland as the investigation continued.
Officers hugged and consoled each other.
"This is a highly sensitive situation that we're dealing with right now with our OPD family, and we're still trying to notify family members that their family members were hurt," Thomason said.

Here's an excerpt from tommorrow's story regarding a memorial service held for Charles and Renee Shaffer of La Verne, who died March 14 when their single-engine airplane crashed in Pomona:

GLENDORA -- About 200 friends and family members of a La Verne husband and wife killed in a plane crash earlier this month gathered Saturday to memorialize the couple and celebrate their lives.
Charles "Chuck" Shaffer, 52, and his wife, Renee Shaffer, died March 14 when their single-engine airplane crashed into a Hillside near the 2600 block of Pomona Boulevard in Pomona, coroner's officials said.
They are survived by five adult children from previous marriages and a young grandson.
"We've had kind of a hard week this week, but we got through it," said one of the Shaffer's sons, Charles Shaffer III.
"We've realized what's really important is not why they died or how they died. It's how they lived," he said.
Mourners recalled the Shaffers as a fun-loving and caring couple who were deeply dedicated to each other.
Pictures of the couple skiing, scuba diving and going on adventures around the world were shown in a slide show at the memorial, which was held at Glendora Community Church, 645 N. Grand Ave.
Renee Shaffer's brother, Louis Kreslie, recalled afternoons spent riding bikes with his sister as a child as well as recent excursions with his sister and her husband.
"They had a lot of dreams," he said of the couple.

NORWALK -- Five people were displaced, a dog was killed and two cats were missing following a a house fire Friday, officials said.
The blaze was reported about 9:45 p.m. at a single-story house on Hayford Street, just east of Pioneer Boulevard, Norwalk sheriff's Lt. John Gannon said.
The house, which was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, was a total loss, Gannon said. The cost of the damage was estimated to be $150,000.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, the lieutenant said.
The five residents of the home escaped without injury, he added.
The home, which was in probate after the owner and mother of two of the residents died two months ago, was not insured, Gannon said.

From the Associated Press:

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego police shot and killed a knife-wielding man on Friday after he
fatally stabbed a woman believed to be his wife and wounded a police dog.
Police went to the home in the Paradise Hills neighborhood after a woman called to report a man threatening to kill himself and brandishing a knife, said police Lt. Terry McManus.
A man came to the front door and threatened to kill police. He also made statements that led
officers to believe he had slain his wife inside, McManus said.
Officers entered the house led by a police dog. The man stabbed the dog before two officers shot him, McManus said.
Police then searched the house and found the woman had been stabbed to death.
The victims were not immediately identified.
The police dog, a German shepherd named Earp, was taken to a veterinary hospital and was expected to recover.

Police and sheriff's officials in the Whittier area have been inundated with calls from people concerned about a rumor of impending gang initiation killings.

The rumor states that, as part of a gang initiation, three women will be killed at various area Walmart stores. According to officials in both agencies, the rumor is a hoax.

Nonetheless, officials have alerted the stores and advised employees and customers to be vigilant and on the lookout for gang members milling about.

Officials at both the sheriff's Norwalk Station and the Whittier Police Department reported receiving calls from worried citizens.

Here's an entry of the Whittier Police News and Information Blog:

Rumored Gang Initiation Proves False 

Whittier PD has received numerous calls surrounding texts and emails claiming that ".... at Wal-Mart tonight there is talk of a gang initiation where gang members have to kill 3 women at each Wal-Mart..."

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has recently released a teletype about this same email/text message stating that it's a hoax.

From the Associated Press:

PALMDALE-- A mother who reported her 18-month-old daughter missing recanted her story and told investigators the child died accidentally and that she dumped the body near a freeway, a sheriff's official said Friday.
Emma Leigh Barker's mother told detectives that when her daughter died, she panicked and believed she would be blamed, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said.
A body that coroner's officials have since identified as Emma was found in Los Angeles on Thursday. The cause of death was not immediately determined. A finding on the cause of death was deferred pending further tests that could take weeks.
The 23-year-old mother, whose name has not been released, reported being knocked out by someone while putting Emma into her car in Lancaster on Wednesday. She told investigators Emma was gone when she awoke partially clad hours later in her car in Palmdale.
The mother eventually told investigators where she dumped the body, Hecht said. The toddler's remains were found 50 miles from Lancaster in the Sylmar area of Los
Angeles in tall grass a few blocks from Interstate 5.
Officials said the mother was not being detained but facts of the case will be presented to the district attorney's office.
"At this point I would not term her a suspect," sheriff's Lt. Pat Nelson said of the mother at a news conference Thursday. "That may change as circumstances develop."
Hecht said the mother was staying with her parents.

ROWLAND HEIGHTS -- Sheriff's officials will be exchanging gift cards for guns next month in an effort to make local neighborhoods safer, authorities said.
The "Gifts for Guns" exchange will take place April 3 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and April 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at a parking lot at 19725 Colima Road, near Fairway Drive, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
Those who bring guns, unloaded and in their trunks, will receive their choice of gift cards from a variety of local retailers and grocery stores while supplies last, officials said.
Gift cards worth $100 will be given for most handguns, rifles and shotguns, while $200 cards will be exchanged for assault weapons, officials added.
No questions will be asked, and participants will remain anonymous.
For more information, contact the sheriff's Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at (909) 595-2264.

* Photo: A Gifts for Guns exchange in Compton in December of 2008, in which a record number of guns were collected. (Courtesy of the Associated Press)

The Associated Press reports:

LANCASTER -- Authorities on Thursday found the body of a toddler believed to be an
18-month-old girl whose mother reported being knocked out by someone in a high desert city and waking up later to discover the child missing.
The case was turned over to homicide detectives, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pat Nelson.
The 20-year-old mother, whose name was not released, was not in custody and was cooperating, he said.
"At this point I would not term her a suspect. That may change as circumstances develop," Nelson said.
The mother told authorities she last saw her daughter, Emma Leigh Barker, at 5 p.m. Wednesday while putting her into a car seat at Lancaster City Park, Nelson said.
The mother said she was knocked unconscious by someone she didn't see. She told investigators she woke up at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in her car in a parking lot in neighboring Palmdale.
and her daughter was missing, and reported it to sheriff's deputies 30 minutes to an hour later, said Deputy Aura Sierra.
The mother was partially clad and suffering from some head injury when she was interviewed, Nelson said.
Within a few hours several inconsistencies developed, he said.
"Further investigation led unfortunately to the discovery of the body of the toddler in the
Mission Hills area here," he said.
The body was located at 11 a.m. Thursday in an unspecified area described as accessible by roads.
Mission Hills is in the San Fernando Valley along Interstate 5.
While the body had yet to be positively identified, Nelson said investigators were "fairly
confident" it was Emma.

From the Associated Press:

ANAHEIM-- A suspect in two separate shooting deaths of gas company workers shot himself in the head while sitting in his SUV outside a police station, authorities
said Thursday.
A patrol officer saw that the driver's side window was blown out and found Phong Thuc Tran with serious head wounds but still moving, police Sgt. Rick Martinez said.
Tran, 36, of Orange County, had worked with both victims at Southern California Gas Co.'s Anaheim office as a field technician but resigned in 2007 after five years.
"He tried to commit suicide," police Sgt. Tim Schmidt said. "He's not dead but he's not expected to live."
After an armored vehicle boxed in the sport utility vehicle, Tran was shot with beanbag rounds,
pulled from the car and taken to a hospital in critical condition, Martinez said. Officers had
identified his vehicle from an arrest warrant issued Wednesday.
Three handguns found in the vehicle were being compared with evidence from the locations where the two workers were shot, Schmidt said. Authorities were continuing to investigate the motive for the shootings.
Tran is a suspect in two deaths: Charles Santisteban, 43, a supervisor at Southern California Gas Co., who was gunned down in his driveway Wednesday in Pomona, and Hung
Duy Dao, 37, of Westminster, who was found dead Tuesday night in the driver's seat of his car outside the utility's Anaheim office where he worked as a field technician for about six years.
Santisteban had worked at the Anaheim plant but left about six months ago to take a job at the utility's Pasadena office, Schmidt said.
The two victims knew each other and had previously worked together, Schmidt said.
Some employees at the Anaheim office chose to work in other locations this week "out of concern for their own safety," said Denise King, a spokeswoman for the utility. She did not believe Tran was stalking those employees.
The company was not releasing any additional details on the victims or the suspect, King
said.
"We're all shocked," King said. "We're relieved the suspect is no longer at large."
Southern California Gas Co., a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, provides natural gas to 20 million consumers in a 20,000-square-mile territory. It describes itself as the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility.

WALNUT -- Two men and two teenage girls were arrested Tuesday after an alleged robbery spree with the help of one of the alleged victims and some good Samaritans, authorities said.
Anthony Peter Romero, 20, of La Puente, Richard Enrique Cardenas, 18, of Valinda, a 15-year-old El Monte girl and a 16-year-old El Monte girl were booked on suspicion of a total of 10 robberies and one grand theft person, Los Angeles County sheriff's Detective Joe Wright said.
At least one of the suspects is also suspected in two other recent robberies at Mt. San San Antonio College, Lt. Joe Maxey said.
Wright said three of the four suspects were arrested in a vehicle near the scene of the alleged crimes.
"(He) was seen half a block west of there by one of the victims, chased down, sprayed with pepper spray and detained," he said.
Some athletic young men assisted in detaining the suspect but did not stay around to give their information, he added.
"When we got there, they had him detained," Wright said. His gun was on he ground. There were bullets in his pockets."
Tuesday's alleged robbery spree began shortly before 5 p.m. when Cardenas reportedly robbed three couples at gunpoint in Creekside Park as the other three suspects allegedly waited in the vehicle.
After that, the suspects reportedly headed to a shopping center at the corner of Amar Road and Grand Avenue, where they continued their spree, the detective said.
The suspects allegedly snatched a camera from a man sitting at a Burger King restaurant, Wright said, then robbed a customer in front of a nearby Starbucks and three people in a nearby church parking lot at gunpoint.
After Cardenas was chased down, property belonging to all of the victims in Tuesday's robberies were found in his possession, the detective said.
Romero, who allegedly acted as the driver in Tuesday's robbery spree and stole the camera, was later identified as the robber in two robberies in the parking lot of Mt. San Antonio College last week, Wright said.
None of the alleged victims were injured, he said.
According to court records, Cardenas and Romero were being held in lieu of $100,000 bail each. They were due to be arraigned Thursday at Pomona Superior Court, however court officials said Thursday afternoon the men had not yet appeared.
*Cardenas pictured top, Romero pictured bottom. Photos courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Virginia Hoge thinks that former Star News staffer K-Todd might have been behind the once mighty (now very moribund) Foothill Cities Blog:
 

Since Centinel has been revealed to be Kenneth Todd Ruiz, serious questions need to be asked about the Star New's role in all this. The Pasadena Weekly is also completely implicated by giving Aaron Proctor a column. Both publications have foisted right-wing extremism onto our city. Yes, it was already there, but this gave it a "booster" shot, and a whole new crowd.

A fight involving more than three dozen inmates at Kern Valley State Prison has left one prisoner dead and 16 others injured, corrections officials said Thursday.

Four of the wounded were shot by guards as they attempted to break up the Wednesday afternoon melee.

SF Chronicle

Jennifer McLain and Raul Roa took a ride with Baldwin Park police officers during an early morning raid of suspected gang members and taggers. Among the crews hit were North Side and East Side Bolen as well as KHA and MIK. Their criminal backgrounds included felony vandalism, grand theft and assault with a deadly weapon.

Apparently some of the gang members are involved in weird rituals. There were Oreo cookies sacrificed to statues of the Grim Reaper and tales of Brujo blessings that included cutting the head off a rooster to bless a cocaine stash:

Here's a bit of Jennifer's story:

BALDWIN PARK - Twelve people were arrested Thursday morning in sweep targeting the homes of 32 Baldwin Park area parolees, most of whom were juveniles, and some who had ties to local gangs.

Neither the fog nor the sun had risen yet as officers pounded the door of a 17-year-old parolee.

Around 5:45 a.m., five men shuffled out of the one-bedroom apartment next to the on-ramp of the 10 Freeway as Baldwin Park Police hunted for the teenager who was on probation for tagging and resisting arrest.

They sat, some shirtless, others sockless, and all shivering, on crates and the cold cement as police searched the house for the teen.

After a 15 minute search, cops found him hidden in the closet under a pile of clothes. Police also found two bongs, baggies of marijuana, a drug scale, two cans of empty spray bottles and a tagged bottle of Miller High Life.

For reporters, the moral of the story is "ask and you will receive."

The LA Times asked state corrections officials for a Charile Manson mug shot. On Wednesday they got one. It shows a heavier, balder, still bushy-eybrowed convicted mass murder on his last legs.

Here's the shot and a story.

SAN BERNARDINO - A mobster-turned-FBI informant whose life inspired the movie "Goodfellas" is wanted for failing to appear in court on tickets alleging he was drunk in public in San Bernardino.

Henry Hill, once linked to a $5.8 million airport heist, is facing two, $25,000 arrest warrants.

Hill, 65, said he was not aware he needed to be present in court Wednesday. He also said he told court clerks Monday that he wanted a new hearing date because he was having hernia surgery.

The "Goodfellas" movie ends with Hill, played by Ray Liotta, entering federal witness protection after implicating fellow mobsters in murders and the 1978 heist of $5.8 million in cash from a Lufthansa Airlines vault in New York.

Drug arrests led to Hill being removed from the federal program in the early 1990s.

A jury has recommended the death penalty for Raymond Oyler, the man convicted of intentionally lighting several SoCal wildfires in 2006, including the deadly Esparanza Fire in October, which claimed the lives of five firefighters.

The Associated Press reports:

RIVERSIDE -- A jury recommended the death penalty Wednesday for a
man convicted of murdering five federal firefighters who were overrun by one of several wildfires he ignited in Southern California in 2006.
Jurors took less than a day to decide that Raymond Lee Oyler deserved to die.
Prosecutors cited the horrific pain the fire crew suffered and the terror the auto mechanic's
fires caused in rural areas of Riverside County.
Outside court, Maria Loutzenhiser, the wife of slain fire Capt. Mark Loutzenhiser, thanked jurors and prosecutors "for putting an end to everybody's misery and giving everybody peace of mind."
"I'm grateful they put Oyler in jail and that he's there and he can't do this anymore," she
said.
Oyler, 38, was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder, 20 counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary device.
Jurors began penalty phase deliberations Tuesday afternoon.
The jury foreman, who declined to give his name, said the two-month trial was an emotional ordeal but the evidence showed Oyler's guilt and helped persuade the panel he should get the death penalty.
"There were more tears today than any other day," he said. "It's not an easy decision to
make."
The foreman choked back tears as he recalled some of the testimony from family members. He hugged several of them outside court.
At sentencing, set for April 3, Judge W. Charles Morgan still could give Oyler the punishment the defense had urged jurors to choose: life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Oyler's daughter echoed his lawyers' claim that her father never intended to kill anyone.
"That was not in his mind. My dad is not this monster they paint him to be," 21-year-old Heather Oyler said outside the courtroom.
Prosecutor Michael Hestrin told jurors in closing arguments of the trial's penalty phase that
Oyler was not a casual arsonist but instead sought the power to end people's lives.
Oyler was convicted of setting numerous fires in rural areas of Riverside County in 2006.
The fatal blaze, known as the Esperanza Fire, roared to life that October as fierce Santa Ana
winds swept through valleys and mountains about 90 miles east of Los Angeles.
The crew of San Bernardino National Forest Engine 57 was overwhelmed after deploying
to protect an unoccupied house perched at the top of a steep drainage in the San Jacinto
Mountains.
Three firefighters died there and a fourth died soon after at a hospital. The fifth died five
days later, the same day Oyler was arrested.
Prosecutors showed jurors graphic photos of the firefighters: Jason McKay, 27; Jess McLean, 27; Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20; Pablo Cerda, 23, and Loutzenhiser, 43.
Judge Morgan previously ruled Oyler mentally competent after an evaluation by a
psychologist.

*Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

Our on-line team has put together a map of homicides in the SGV so far this year. It's pretty detailed and seems to indicate that violent crime (locally at least) is on the decline.

Here's what the map looks like:

 

For more information about the project, click here.

Here's an excert from the coming story:

A Monrovia man who carried out a violent crime spree last year before being captured at Disneyland faces the possiblity of multiple life terms in prison at his sentencing next month.
Anthony Brandon Hislar, 27, was convicted Friday of 33 felony counts, including robberies, carjackings, burglaries, a shooting and other crimes in the San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said in a written statement. He faces sentencing April 7 as a potential third-striker.
Many of the crimes were carried out on Sept. 19, including the shooting of Rosemead psychologist Daniel Chan, Deputy District Attorney Stacie Mayores said.
"He's a menace to society," Chan said. "If he gets out, I have no doubt he will do it again."
He said he was disappointed the jury hung on a count of attempted murder in his attack and found Hislar guilty only of assault with a firearm, but pleased a conviction was handed down to put his attacker behind bars, "not just for my case, but for the other victims too."
"I plan to be there April 7 to make my statement," Chan added.

Charlie Santisteban, killed early this morning outside his home in Pomona may have been targeted by a killer preying on Gas Company employees, authorities said Wednesday.

A Gas Co employee was shot Tuesday night in a parking lot in Anaheim. Pomona PD and Anaheim PD are seeking disgruntled ex-coworkers.

We'll have more when known....

Our photog Raul Roa got shots from inside Octomom's new house, thanks to a guy from RadarOnline who took Raul's camera inside the La Habra home of Nadya Suleman.

What do you think?

Photog Raul Roa has been camped in front of Octomom's new La Habra digs in hopes of getting "the shot" of Nadya and two of her kids coming home from the hospital.

In the meantime, he's blogging from the scene and sending a postcard or two like this one describing a "former journalist-turned child safety expert who spent all day long child-proofing the home "to the highest standards" for a cool $2500."

 

 

I really believe that the meltdown that led to Ernesto Castaneda's death was probably an anniversarial reaction to something. In March 2008 he evaded officers while drunk and earned a conviction in El Monte Superior Court.

This March (Sunday to be exact) he went on a bender and attacked deputies with a machete and a baseball bat before they shot him to death.  Jennifer McLain's story from today's newspaper leads me to believe that Castaneda's depression and the ides of March are somehow linked. Here's portions of her story:

ROSEMEAD - The young man who was shot and killed by deputies Sunday after brandishing a machete struggled with depression since the death of his mother, neighbors said.

Ernesto Castaneda, 22, died at a nearby hospital on Sunday after deputies shot him. Castaneda's father called the police on his son around 11 a.m. on Sunday because Castaneda was "high" and armed with a machete, according to sheriff's deputies.

<snip> 

"He was a good boy," said neighbor Lorraine O'Neill, who has known Castaneda since he was a child. "He just got depressed after his mom died three years ago and he's been struggling since then."

Last March, Castaneda was convicted of evading arrest and being under the influence of alcohol or drugs in a vehicle.

I also think it's interesting to compare how the sheriff's department has handled the case to Pasadena's handling of the Leroy Barnes shooting.  

Did you catch the story about former NFL running back Travis Henry?

You might say he's the male version of Whittier's own Octomom - except he's going to be paying a steeper price for fathering nine children than Nadya Suleman will ever pay for giving birth to 14.

Henry, who played for three NFL teams including the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos was recently ordered to pay $3,000 a month for one of the kids. Additionally he fell $16,000 behind in support for another.

Clearly the child support amounts were determined by the size of Henry's final contract with the Broncos. In 2007 the team gave Henry a five-year, $25 million contract.

By the time he was cut last year, Henry had received just $6.7 million, according to the New York Times.

Because of positive drug tests and an arrest for drug trafficking, there's little chance Henry will ever play in the NFL again.

As "baby daddy" to nine children from nine separate women, Henry went to court seeking a reduction in the amount of child support he would have to pay. Some of the "baby mommas" and their attorneys say no way. They point to the shear amounts of money Henry reportedly squandered on cars, clothes and other women.

But is he any more irresponsible than Octomom?

I say no. At least Henry appears to have made some effort to support his kids. Suleman on the other hand has been relying on taxpayers to support her and the brood.

Consider the facts:

Octomom used a combination of food stamps, disability payments and student loans to provide for her first six kids;

She lived with her mother in a home that was nearing foreclosure;

Knowing this Nayda nonetheless decided to have herself implanted with six frozen embryos and brought eight fatherless children into the world on Jan. 26.

I highly doubt she had any intention of paying for these kids on her own. After all, estimates for the monthly care of Octomom's sickly brood run hundreds of thousands of dollars per month.

Where's the outraged judge in this case, threatening to lock Nadya up for having kids she can't support?

Where's the Department of Children and Family Services that intrude into the lives of so many other Angelenos?

Nowhere of course.

Does anyone think that Dr. Phil or RadarOnline, or Gloria Allred are going to stick around once the audience dries up and the ratings dwindle?

Does anyone believe for a second when these media whores say their interest is motivated solely out of compassion for the children?

I hope not. Because you can guarantee the next time Paris or Lindsay or Britney or Rhianna or some woman who has nine babies and a brood of 15 turn up, the cameras and the money will be gone.

For now, unlike a washed up former NFL running back, the Nadya freak show makes money. But eventually (like it did in Henry's case) the money's going to run out and we'll be on the hook for supporting those kids and their shiftless mother.

Let's hear it for double standards.

This from the Daily Bulletin:

For months, perhaps longer, the Montague County Jail was "Animal House" meets Mayberry. Inside the small brick building across from the courthouse, inmates had the run of the place, having sex with their jailer girlfriends, bringing in recliners, taking drugs and chatting on cell phones supplied by friends or guards, according to authorities. They also disabled some of the surveillance cameras and made weapons out of nails.

The doors to two groups of cells didn't lock, but apparently no one tried to escape - perhaps because they had everything they needed inside.

The jailhouse escapades - some of which date to 2006, according to authorities - have rocked Montague (pronounced mahn-TAYG), a farming and ranching town of several hundred people near the Oklahoma line, about 65 miles northwest of Fort Worth.

There were whispers in the past year about an affair between a female jailer and male inmate, but folks dismissed the rumors as small-town gossip. It was not until late last month, when a Texas grand jury returned a 106-count indictment against the former sheriff and 16 others, that the inmates-gone-wild scandal broke wide open.

Photographer Raul Roa has started a blog devoted to his single-minded pursuit of Octo-mom Nadya Suleman.

Here's the link, there's some interesting photos.

 

Here's some stories we've been following this week:

* ROSEMEAD -- Deputies responding Sunday morning to a family disturbance shot and killed a machete-wielding man after he threatened them with that weapon and a baseball bat.
The incident occurred about 11 a.m. in the 3500 block of Temple City Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Byron Ward said.
Ernesto Castaneda, 22, of Rosemead was pronounced dead at an undisclosed hospital a short time later, authorities said.

* WALNUT -- Officials said a young man and woman were lucky to be alive Saturday after their convertible flipped over several times on Valley Boulevard.
The driver of the Porsche Boxster, 22-year-old Tze Shyu of Irvine, was flown to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center with major injuries, California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Corder said.
His passenger, 24-year-old Karen Fung of El Monte, was hospitalized with minor injuries, he said.
"These two are very, very lucky to still be alive today, considering the amount of damage to that car," Corder said.
The crash was reported about 6:30 p.m. on eastbound Valley Boulevard near Brea Canyon Road in an unincorporated county area near Walnut, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Bruce Lang said.

* AZUSA -- Police arrested three teenagers late Friday after they allegedly shot a bystander during a fight, authorities said.
A 15-year-old Duarte boy suspected of being the gunman was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and taken to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, Azusa police Lt. Paul Dennis said.
Two 15-year-old boys from Duarte were also arrested in connection with the incident and were released to their parents with a written promise to appear in court, Dennis said.
The woman wounded in the attack was believed to be an innocent bystander, the lieutenant said.
"It appears she was just emptying out her trash," the he said.

* POMONA -- Two people were killed Saturday morning after their small plane crashed in the hills above Pomona, authorities said.
The victims were described as a man and a woman. They were not identified Saturday night.
The plane, a single-engine Piper Cherokee, crashed into a hillside in the 2600 block of Pomona Boulevard, Federal Aviation Administration officials said.
The crash occurred just three minutes after the 1979 Piper model PA-28-236 left Brackett Airfield in La Verne at 11:12 a.m., according to recorded information from FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.

* ALTADENA - Two men dressed in police-type uniforms barged into a home Thursday and handcuffed a man before stealing about $2,000 in cash and other items.
Two men knocked on the door of a home in the 3400 block of Fair Oaks Avenue about 8:50 p.m., authorities said. They were wearing dark-colored police officer-type uniforms, gun belts and were armed with handguns, authorities said. One man was wearing a baseball cap with the word "police"on the front.
Authorities said the 42-year-old man at the home first believed the men were police officers but became concerned when he did not see a marked police car on the street and noticed the men were wearing tennis shoes.
The men then forced the victim into a bedroom, handcuffed him and demanded at gunpoint to know the location of the man's safe. The victim's arms and legs were tied up and socks were placed in his mouth.

* ARCADIA -- A woman was robbed of her purse Wednesday in what police believe may be the latest in a string of crimes carried out by two serial robbers.
The latest crime was reported about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 500 block of Las Tunas Drive, Arcadia police Lt. Larry Goodman said.
A woman was approached from behind by a man who grabbed her purse and fled to a nearby car with a waiting driver, Goodman said.
"The suspect and vehicle description are similar to the other recent strong-arm robberies in town," police said in a written statement.
Two other robberies with similar suspect and vehicle descriptions were reported March 7, Goodman said, though they have not been definitively linked to each other or Wednesday's robbery.

 

ORANGE COUNTY -- Someone apparently assaulted a California Highway Patrol officer with a deadly weapon Sunday, however CHP officials provided no details.
According to police radio traffic, the officer was assaulted about 8 p.m. in the area of Tonner Canyon Road and Brea Canyon Road, just south of the Los Angeles County line.
A radio broadcast sent to warn surrounding law enforcement agencies of the incident indicated some type of weapon was used against the officer, and that two suspects fled northbound on Brea Canyon Road toward Diamond Bar in a white Acura.
A dispatcher at the CHP's Orange County Communications Center referred all inquiries to a public information officer whose answering machine stated was not on duty.
The dispatcher said there was no other way of releasing information and advised checking back in the morning or whenever a formal press release is issued.

This come from the Whittier Police Department's News and Information Blog:

The Department's Baker to Vegas relay race team finished in second place in the 150-officer division. This is a great accomplishment for the 20 runners, alternates, and dozens of support personnel who made this possible. The race spanned 120 miles from Baker to the City of Las Vegas with 20 officers running leg distances of 5 to 11 miles each. Over 400 law enforcement teams from around the nation and the world participated in this yearly event. The team's time was 16 hours and 24 minutes.

 

The annual Baker to Vegas race began Saturday.

This relay foot-race is friendly competition between law enforcement agencies from all over the world.

Numerous local sheriff's stations and police departments are participating in this year's race, which is being held a bit earlier in the year than usual.

Each agency sends 20 runners, who will each handle one leg of the race, which spans from Baker, California to Las Vegas, Nevada.

 Here's an excerpt from the Baker to Davis Web site:

The Baker to Vegas Relay is the most "positive" event offered to law enforcement officers today. It gives them a reason to maintain a physical fitness program so as to help them better perform their duties. Over the 20+ years the Challenge Cup/Baker to Vegas Relay has been run nearly one hundred thousand law enforcement personnel have tread across the desert. The original ideals of the race continue: teamwork, camaraderie, physical fitness and competition. The event has expanded in many ways - most notably in entries and categories. The number of teams has grown nearly 12 fold - from only 19 in 1985 to 242 in 2008 - and categories have grown to include judges, probation officers, district attorneys, US Attorneys and full time civilian police personnel.

A man and woman were hospitalized Saturday after the convertible Porsche they were riding in flipped over several times, officials said.
The crash was reported about 6:30 p.m. on eastbound Valley Boulevard near Brea Canyon Road in an unincorporated county area near Walnut, according to California Highway Patrol logs.
The driver of the car, a 22-year-old man, was flown by helicopter to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center for treatment, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Bruce Lang said.
A 24-year-old woman who was a passenger in the car was taken to a hospital by ambulance, he said. Her injuries appeared to be less severe than the driver's.
Witnesses reported the Porsche rolled over several times before coming to a rest, the sergeant said. Seat belts likely saved the lives of the man and woman, he added.
The cause of the crash, which was being investigated by the CHP, was not immediately available.

A single engine plane has crashed in Pomona today, officials said. At least two people are dead following the accident. Here's the latest:

POMONA, Calif.--A small plane has crashed near homes and freeways in Pomona, killing two people on board.

Capt. Frank Reynoso of the Los Angeles County Fire Department says hikers reported seeing the single-engine Piper Cherokee crash shortly after 11:15 a.m. Saturday in a vacant hilly area of Pomona surrounded by homes and warehouses.

Reynoso says the crash killed the man and woman on board. It also caused a small fire that was quickly doused.

Reynoso says the site was only a few miles from two freeways and California Polytechnic University. Two nearby railroad tracks were shut down.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says the plane had taken off a few minutes earlier from an airport in La Verne and was heading to the Mojave Airport in Kern County.

LA Weekly updates the Grim Sleeper story with the tale of a survivor:

Early on Sunday, November 20, 1988, the E.R. doors crashed open at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance. A woman had been sexually assaulted and shot, and the bullet that tore through her chest had collapsed her lung and made it nearly impossible to breathe. As workers rushed the blood-drenched victim, Enietra Margette, to surgery, she could hear scattered bits of conversation between two relatives who had raced to her side at the hospital, her aunt and uncle.

Gasping for breath, she was surprised to see Superman himself peering down at her. Superman -- a doctor who looks like the late superhero actor George Reeves -- leaned close to inform Margette that he had to place a tube in her chest. "I asked him if I was going to die. He said, 'I don't know.'"

That bloody night almost 21 years ago is pivotal in helping to solve one of the greatest murder mysteries ever to face Los Angeles police: that of the Grim Sleeper serial killer. Margette, his only known survivor, is Exhibit 1. Or perhaps that honor goes to the smashed bullet dug from her torso -- a .25-caliber hunk of metal partially flattened after striking her chest bone, and now a crucial piece of evidence in LAPD's hunt for the killer.

CHRISTIAN KARL GERHARTSTREITER (D.O.B. 2/21/61) is expected in court this afternoon for a motions hearing in connection with his pending parental kidnapping case.  The hearing has been rescheduled to 2:00 in courtroom 906 with ADA David Deakin; attorneys Jeffrey Denner, Timothy Bradl, and Stephen Hrones; and Judge Frank Gaziano.

This comes from the Associated Press:

Anna Nicole Smith's lawyer-turned-boyfriend and a doctor surrendered to face charges that they conspired to provide the Playboy Playmate with thousands of prescription pills before her 2007 fatal overdose. A second doctor also is accused.

Howard K. Stern and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor were released late Thursday after posting $20,000 bond. Charges include conspiracy, unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict, authorities said.

For booking photos of Stern and Kapoor, go to http://whittierpd.blogspot.com.

They were booked by the Whittier Police Department, according Whittier Police Officer Jason Zuhlke.

Stern and Kapoor were booked by the Whittier Police Thursday night. They each paid $20,000 bail and were released at 9:15, Zuhlke said.

Why the pair were booked in Whittier was not immediately clear.

Dr. Khristine Eroshevich was expected to surrender Monday. Her attorney, Adam Braun, acknowledged Eroshevich wrote some of the prescriptions using fictitious names for Smith, but it wasn't intended to commit fraud.

Here's what Whittier PD posted this a.m.:

On March 12th, 2009, Sandeep Kapoor(bottom) and Howard K. Stern(top) were booked at the Whittier Police Department at 7:13pm and 8:27pm, respectively. Both men were booked on warrants on behalf of the California Attorney General's Office and released on $20,000 bail at 9:15pm. This represents the extent of the Whittier Police Department's involvement in the case and any further inquiries may be directed to the Attorney General's Office, specifically, Scott Gerber at (510) 502-3755

MONTEBELLO -- A Montebello man was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday after entering a plea of "no contest" in the Jan. 3 shooting death of his 22-month old son.
Serafin Corona Sandoval, 24, shot his son to death at their apartment in the 800 block of Wilcox Avenue.
The lead investigator on the case, Montebello police Sgt. Kelly Gordon, said the news came as a pleasant surprise.
Both the prosecution and defense were preparing for trial when Sandoval announced he was ready to make a deal.
"We're very pleased with the conclusion, with the plea deal," Gordon said. "Sparing the family from having to testify."
Sandoval was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for second degree murder, Gordon said, and another 25 years for willfully discharging a firearm, causing great bodily injury.
"It was a devastating crime crime for the family, and for all the officers who responded," she she said.
Sandoval, who was paralyzed from the waist down after he jumped from a second-floor window immediately following the shooting, offered no explanation for his actions, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.

For the full story, click here.

This comes from reporter Daniel Tedford:

GLENDORA - An off-duty Montebello police officer is in critical condition after crashing his motorcycle on Glendora Mountain Road Tuesday, police said.

Eric Bermudiz, 29, veered into the opposing lane at 1 p.m. Tuesday and hit the guard rail while driving on the road, said Lt. Rob Lamborghini. The impact ejected Bermudiz from the vehicle, Lamorghini said.

Bermudiz is in critical condition Thursday and is being treated at USC Medical Center, said Montebello police.

Reasons for the crash are still being investigated by Glendora Police.

Glendora Mountain Road is known for having its share of accidents, but police said this particular area isn't known to be dangerous.

"There have been some accidents in that area of the roadway, but there haven't been more than a handful in the last several years in that particular area," Lamorghini said.

Reports that two Mexican drug cartels have joined forces and have a combined fighting force of 100,000 foot soldiers has some local officials concerned that the drug war south of the border could spill into our communities.

The idea of such an alliance reminds me of the gang truce between rival hispanic street gangs that led to the rise of La Eme in the 1990s.

In any event, Mexican President Felipe Calderon defended his country's efforts agsinst Narco-Terrorists in Mexico City this afternoon. Here's Bloomberg's take:

March 12 (Bloomberg) -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon delivered his strongest defense yet of his government's fight against drug cartels, alleging some U.S. officials are corrupt and accusing the media of lying.

"To say that Mexico doesn't have authority over all of its national territory is absolutely false and absurd," Calderon said today in Mexico City.

Mexico hasn't lost any territory to traffickers, Calderon said. He criticized the media for mounting a campaign of "lies" against Mexico. His comments come two days after Dennis Blair, U.S. Director of National Intelligence, said Mexico isn't in charge of parts of the country.

Calderon, 46, came to power in 2006 promising a crackdown on the cartels. He has sent tens of thousands of soldiers to areas where smugglers battle over routes into the U.S. Retaliating for arrests and record drug seizures, gangs beheaded rival smugglers, assassinated police officials and executed entire families.

The drug war is reducing annual gross domestic product by 1 percentage point, according to the government. Narcotics-related deaths more than doubled last year as Calderon's crackdown disrupted drug operations and increased competition for the best supply routes to the U.S.

The Arcadia Police Department has set up a Web page  listing its most wanted criminals.

Not a top ten list, like the FBI's 10 Most Wanted, but certainly a valuable tool for Arcadia police.

Here's who they are looking for:

Two suspects in an armed robbery, described as male Hispanics in their 20s.

A man, possibly Hispanic, suspected of burglarizing a jewelry store on Las Tunas.

Check out the Web site for composite drawings and pictures. And call the cops at *626) 574-5151 if you know any of these characters.

He got more gold coins returned, now Clark Rockefeller hopes a judge will allow him to present an insanity defense in the kidnapping of his daughter Reigh "Snooks" Boss, this past summer.

Rockefeller, aka Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, aka Christopher Chichester, will make an appearance in Suffolk County Court Friday, according to Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

"It's a hearing on his potential use of an insanity defense," Wark said.

A doctor who examined Rockefeller's mental state will testify in court, officials said.

Rockefeller has been named as a person of interest in the 1985 disappearance of John and Linda Sohus, a San Marino couple. In 1994, bones were discovered in the backyard of the Sohuses home on Lorain Road. Those bones are believed to belong to John Sohus, although no positive identification has ever been made.

 

 

From the Associated Press

LOS ANGELES--A $50,000 reward was announced Wednesday for information that helps solve the 1970s murder of Howard Steindler, a flamboyant boxing manager and gym owner who helped inspire the character of Mickey in the "Rocky" movies.

Steindler was forced into his gold Cadillac Seville on March 9, 1977, a block from his Encino home. Police said the car may have been rear-ended by robbers who kidnapped him when he pulled over.

Witnesses said they saw Steindler arguing with two men who punched him several times and put him in the car.

The car was later found on the Ventura Freeway with Steindler inside. He had been beaten, robbed and smothered.

More than 1,000 people attended his funeral. Boxing great Sugar Ray Robinson delivered the eulogy.

His daughter said her 72-year-old father might have been killed while resisting the robbers.

"Maybe it went further than it should have gone because he fought back so hard," Carol Steindler Ferris of Thousand Oaks said in a telephone interview.

Steindler's jewelry, including a diamond-and-gold ring in the shape of a boxing glove, was never found. But after his death, someone mailed his car keys and wallet to his widow.

If you smoke, you probably already know the price of a pack of cigarettes went up pretty dramatically over the past couple of days.

Smokers, who were paying anywhere from $4 to $4.50 a pack, suddenly find themselves paying anywhere from $5 to $6 for 20 "coffin nails."

I stopped at a liquor store near home last night and asked the kid behind the counter, "What gives?"

"Something about new taxes," he said. "(The tobacco companies) raised their prices to get a few more bucks before the tax kicks in."

At a liquor store down the street from the office, the guy that usually helps me with a smile was simply mad Wednesday.

"I don't get why they keep adding taxes to everything," he said. "Pretty soon none of my customers can afford to smoke."

If you are as mad as my liquor store guy, you can write your letter of thanks to the federal government. As of April 1, the federal excise on a pack of smokes increases from 39 cents to $1. That's about a 150 percent jump.

Chewers and cigar aficionados are going to have to chip in too.

I follow the news for a living, but I don't remember cigarette smokers being praised for saving the federal government - again.

Truthfully, this time it's for the children.

The increased tax revenue reportedly will be spent providing health care to 3.5 million uninsured children at the cost of $32.8 billion, according to published reports.

Who knows how much of that will be used to hire new high-salaried bureaucrats to administer the program? Want to bet a good chunk of the money will never find its way to a sick child because its lining the pocket of some Washington fat cats?

Charles D. Conner, American Lung Association president and CEO, issued platitudes about sick smokers, but in the end flatly admitted the tax is an effort to help a dismal economy.

"Considering half of all smokers will die prematurely from their addiction, increasing the federal cigarette tax will go a long (way) to save young lives and is also good for our economy," Conner said in a statement he wrote on Feb 5.

Here's the kicker: There's a good chance the state will tack another $1.50 on top of the increased federal tax. On Tuesday, a group of Democrats in the state Senate, led by Alex Padilla, introduced SB 600, which proposes to do just that.

Padilla has latched on to something he thinks will resonate with his cronies because smoking is so unpopular.

I'll admit I enjoy my nicotine fixes. No doubt my family, friends and co-workers recognize the difference in my personality when I'm deprived.

On the other hand, I don't want to give the government another dime of my hard-earned money. Guess what I found out? There's no excise taxes on nicotine gum.

I'm sold.

Google search of the week: "French Military Victories"

I typed it in and pressed the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button.

Google's response?

"Did you mean French military defeats?"

This from reporter Robert Hong in Pasadena:

ALTADENA - A man was shot by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 3000 block of Highview Avenue, authorities said.

No deputies were harmed in the incident, and the man was taken to a local hospital.

No details were released as to why the man was shot.

No further information was available.

Trial for former Ram kicker Tony Zendejas ended in acquital Wednesday at the Pomona court house. Closing arguments today followed Zendejas taking the stand in his own defense.

Here's the most recent story on the case.

Phillip Guerra and Christopher Lopez, both 19, both charged with the murder of Deandre Netter in Temple City in 2007 will face a jury trial in Pasadena beginning on March 18, according the the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Guerra and Lopez are suspected to have been part of a group of teens in Temple City that targeted blacks for violence.

 

I received this in an email from a New York paramedic concerned that a new trend is suicides could affect police and fire fighters. Here's the story. I've edited out the chemical names.

Person Down in Auto/New way to commit suicide

Recently a new way to commit suicide has been discovered by mixing two chemicals that can be bought over the counter at local stores. They are (REDACTED). Once mixed, the chemicals produce heat and a flammable, noxious gas that causes the subject to pass out and the heart stop within minutes. The process appears to be quick and painless. Two recent cases, one in Pasadena , California and the other at Lake Allatoona in Bartow County , Georgia , involved young men in their early 20's. Both were found locked inside their cars with the chemicals. Each left a note on the car warning anyone around of danger. The car at Lake Allatoona had been taped to prevent gas from escaping.

Cigarette prices are apparently on the rise. I know my local 7-Eleven is urging customers to buy before April 1 when new federal taxes take effect, a new state tax is also in place.

Last pack I bought was $4.50. But I've heard tales of smokes going for between $6 and $7 bucks a pack. What are you paying? Looks like smokers are balancing the budget, paying for the stimulus and fun times in Sacramento.

 

Looks like the feds plan to dole out about $252 million in stimulus money to California cop shops. I haven't done the math but in most cases it looks like the package will return about $1 to cities per resident. Here's a round up of what some San Gabriel Valley cities can expect

PASADENA $342,008

EL MONTE $320,930

WEST COVINA $184,000

WHITTIER $152,145

BALDWIN PARK $151,669

PICO RIVERA $148,182

ALHAMBRA $143,111

MONTEBELLO $127,104

ROSEMEAD $113,633

SAN GABRIEL $98,260

COVINA $95,090

AZUSA $93,347

MONTEREY PARK $80,668

ARCADIA $71,159

SANTA FE SPRINGS $68,782

MONROVIA $64,503

SOUTH EL MONTE $64,344

INDUSTRY $59,590

DIAMOND BAR $55,152

LA MIRADA $55,152

DUARTE $45,009

SAN DIMAS $39,621

TEMPLE CITY $36,610

GLENDORA $33,599

LA VERNE $33,123

WALNUT $23,297

SOUTH PASADENA $19,018

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE $11,411

IRWINDALE $10,618

In the face of a rising tide of constituent outrage, State Assemblyman Anthony Adams on Monday defended his vote for a state budget that will force Californians to pay more taxes.

Adams argues he had to support the scheme. There was no combination of $42 billion in necessary cuts that would balance California's bloated and out-of-control budget.

Instead, the deepest cuts will be in our wallets - $12.2 billion in tax increases.

"It wasn't a vote I wanted to make," Adams said Monday. "It was a necessary vote. Specifically the state was facing insolvency and there was no literal good that could come from letting the state run out of money. There were no foreseeable solutions."

The idea that we will all bleed the death of a 1,000 cuts to our income has fueled a taxpayer revolt unseen in California since the Jarvis and Gann Prop. 13 of the 1970s.

Some might argue that the new revolt is being led by KFI's John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou. The pair gathered thousands of their listeners in a Fullerton parking lot Saturday to let Adams and his Sacramento cronies know enough is enough.

Their campaign is called "Head on a Stick." It supports the recall of Adams, R-Claremont; state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria; and state Assemblyman Jeff Miller, R-Corona.

Adams doesn't really care for the campaign.

"It makes me embarrassed that we live in a society that thinks someone's head on a stick is a joke." Adams said. "We should be able live in a society that is not violent when it comes to disagreements."

Kobylt replied Monday.

"That's how people react when a lying thief steals $50 billion of their tax money," Kobylt said.

In recent days both Kobylt and Chiampou have accused Adams of admitting to a backroom deal among Republicans in Sacramento, who wanted a budget deal and realized three of their own would have to be sacrificial lambs.

Adams said the talk show hosts misrepresent what he said in an interview on public radio several weeks ago.

"That's just nonsense," Adams said. "They read into the comment ... I was explaining why the deal was a good deal. I was explaining as a leadership we don't want to have more than three vote for the budget. It's all that was necessary. They've taken it to mean it was some kind of backroom deal."

When the budget vote came up: "Every member voted their own conscience," Adams said. "I voted mine."

At one time, the district that Adams represents may have been the most conservative in the state. I remember when Dick Mountjoy used to boast that he voted no on every budget that came down the pike.

Mountjoy saw it as his duty to limit tax hikes and protect his constituents. And no matter what anybody thought of him, he did just that.

While Adams proclaimed his hatred of taxes on Monday, he admitted he was not Mountjoy's heir.

"I'm Anthony Adams," he said. "I am my own man."

Unfortunately, he's not the taxpayers' man.

My friend Dean Norris created this video for AMC, where he plays Hank on AMC's Breaking Bad:

Authorities in Montebello dont' have much luck with official vehicles. Last year a fire truck was stolen from inside a fire station. On Sunday, cops responding to a call for service had a cruiser stolen.

The crusier was recovered Sunday in Valinda, minus a shotgun and an assault rifle.

Now Montebello is offering $1000 for their "safe" return. My guess is that the pair of firearms might be worth more. In any event, here's the story:

 

More than 50 mourners, including about half a dozen uniformed sheriff's deputies, gathered around a memorial of flowers and candles Sunday to pay respects to Deputy Isaac Saldivar, 21, of Pico Rivera, who was killed Saturday in a motorcycle crash in his hometown. Here's the full story.

In two unrelated incidents of domestic violence Saturday, a man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Here's the info:

Man wounded in stabbing
PASADENA -- A local man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder Saturday after allegedly stabbing his boyfriend during a break-up, authorities said.
Kyle Vawter, 40, of Pasadena was booked in connection with the alleged crime, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
The incident occurred about 6 p.m. at a house where the men lived in the 1500 block of Pegfair Estates Drive, the lieutenant said.
The victim, 55, told Vawter he wanted to end their relationship before Vawter allegedly stabbed him in the back with a steak knife, Ibarra said.
The alleged victim was hospitalized with serious injuries but was expected to survive, she said.
According to court records, Vawter is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. His arraignment date was not available.

Woman suspected in attack
PASADENA -- A woman was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder Sunday after allegedly spraying another woman with mace, punching her and striking her with a car, police said.
The suspect was believed to have been involved in some sort of love triangle with the victim, as both women shared the same father for their children.
Elvia Ponce, 24, of Pasadena turned herself in following Saturday's alleged assault, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
She was being held in lieu of $1 million bail, according to court records.
The incident was reported about 10:20 a.m. in the 1400 block of North Raymond Avenue, Ibarra said.
Ponce allegedly spotted the 19-year-old victim while driving and got out of her car to spray the woman with mace and punch her, the lieutenant said.
Ponce then reportedly returned to her car and made a u-turn before striking the victim, she said, who was standing in the street.
The apparent victim complained of pain but was not hospitalized, Ibarra said.
Because of the potentially deadly injuries the victim could have sustained in the incident, Ponce was booked on suspicion of attempted murder.
Information on Ponce's initial court appearance was not available Sunday.

Here's an Associated Press follow to the unusual homicide investigation posted on this blog yesterday:

LOS ANGELES -- A woman whose body was found in the trunk of her car had been missing for more than a week, police said Sunday.
Relatives reported 22-year-old Denise Figueroa of Los Angeles missing on Feb. 28, said police Officer Sam Park.
Her body was found Saturday afternoon after an anonymous letter was faxed to KTLA-TV, telling authorities where to look.
Daniel Sanchez, Figueroa's uncle, told KABC-TV late Saturday that the person his niece had last been seen with called her father, sounding desperate and saying "I didn't mean to hurt her. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
The fax, addressed "To whom it may concern" and signed "someone trying to help," named two suspects, saying one man killed Figueroa and the other helped clean up the vehicle her body was placed in. The fax also gave an address in the San Fernando Valley where the car was parked.
One of the men named in the fax was arrested on March 3 on an unrelated charge and is jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail.
County coroner's Lt. Cheryl MacWillie said an autopsy likely be performed on Monday to determine how Figueroa died.

MONTEBELLO -- Someone stole an assult rifle and a shotgun from a police cruiser after stealing the squad car in Montebello and abandoning it in Valinda.

The weapons stolen were an AR-15 assault rifle and a Remington 870 shotgun , similar to those pictured below.

The theft occurred as an officer was responding to a call regarding a party.

Here's the full story:

This bizarre tale comes courtesy of the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- Police following an anonymous tip sent by fax to a television station
found a dead woman in the trunk of her car Saturday, and are looking for the sender and two men alleged in the message to have been involved in the crime.
Officers discovered the body in a Valley Village neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley soon after being notified by KTLA-TV staff members about the faxed letter, Officer April Harding said. The sender described himself or herself only as "someone trying to help."
The sender wrote that a woman was killed Feb. 28 and that her body was in a black trash bag in a car. The sender said the car would be within a 2-square-mile area of a specific address; police found it several blocks away on a shady residential street facing the 101 Freeway.
"She should be reported missing by her family," according to the letter provided by KTLA.
The sender also named a suspect in the killing and another man who helped the suspect clean the car.
The fax included the victim's name, but police did not immediately release it or the cause of her death pending notification of her relatives and an autopsy.
The Nissan sedan was registered to the dead woman, Sgt. Sharyn Buck said.
"It's a sad, sad scenario," she said.
Investigators were trying to track down the sender and the people named as suspects in the fax, Buck told reporters.

 

As part of a series of articles published by the FBI on the major crimes and criminals in the FBI's history, the feds have published this interesting report on John Dillinger, whom they began hunting 75 years ago this month.

Next month, the FBI is promising a report on Bonnie and Clyde, complete with never-before-released files.

To see the report, click here.

*Photo courtesy of the FBI

Two men have been charged with murder in the death of a bystander who was accidentally shot by police during a shootout at a pizza parlor. The Associated Press reports:

SAN BERNARDINO-- Two men have been charged with murder for a shootout with Chino police that left one man dead in a pizza restaurant.
Joel Jaquez and Edward Cisneros were each charged Friday with 14 felonies in San
Bernardino County Superior Court.
Both suspects were allegedly trying to rob a Papa John's restaurant on Feb. 1 when they got in a shootout with police. An officer mistakenly shot and killed a bystander, 23-year-old Daniel Balandran. The two suspects and a police officer also suffered gunshot wounds.
Arraignment for the two 27-year-olds has not been scheduled. Cisneros remains in custody and Jaquez is hospitalized in jail.

A jury today found that George W. Pigman IV was insane at the time he stabbed his girlfriend to death with barbecue tongs in 05 in San Gabriel.

NORWALK -- Officials arrested two men, a woman and a teenage boy Wednesday when a good Samaritan reportedly followed them after an alleged purse-snatching.
Cindy Hernandez, 18, Steven Gonzalez, 19, Gustavo Gonzalez, 18, and a 16-year-old boy were booked on suspicion of robbery, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John Gannon said.
All four suspects are from Compton, he added.
The incident occurred about 7 p.m. in the 12400 block of Imperial Highway, officials said.
The juvenile allegedly grabbed the purse from a 57-year-old woman and Hernandez is suspected of being the getaway driver, Gannon said. Steven Gonzalez and Gustavo Gonzalez were allegedly passengers in the car used in the crime.
Moments after the robbery, a witness called Norwalk sheriff's officials to report they were following the suspects, the lieutenant said.
With the help of Downey police, the car was stopped in Downey and the suspects were taken into custody and identified as the robbers by witnesses, Gannon said.
According to court records, the adult suspects are being held in lieu of $50,000 bail and are due for arraignment in Bellflower Superior Court <NO1>Friday<NO>today.

Was Octomom Nadya Suleman channeling Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins in the Changeling?

There are apparently some definite similarities between the two performances.

Here's the story:

WHITTIER - Octomom Nadya Suleman became unhinged with fear last year when she thought she'd lost one of her children, telling an emergency dispatcher, "Oh God, I'm going to kill myself," according to a recording of her 911 call released Wednesday by police.

Suleman made the call Oct. 27 after her 5-year-old son went missing from the front yard, only to find him a few minutes later after he returned from a walk.

Suleman's repeated threats of suicide prompting a chiding from the dispatcher, who could hear children's voices in the background. "Don't say that in front of your other child, OK?" the dispatcher tells Suleman. "Keep yourself under control for your other child; he doesn't need to hear that."

Suleman, an unemployed single mother, has come under scrutiny since giving birth to octuplets Jan. 26 when she already had six other children, ages 2 to 7. Talks show hosts, celebrities and others have weighed in on the topic, with some questioning her ability to look after 14 children.

Compare for yourself:

Listen to audio of Suleman's 911 call.

Changeling trailer

Who knows what this truck was carrying?

WHITTIER - Authorities are looking for a big rig towing a shipping container that was hijacked on a San Gabriel Valley freeway by three men who left the truck's driver tied up on the side of the road.

California Highway Patrol Officer Joe Zizi says the driver had just picked up his cargo early Wednesday when he was forced over to the right shoulder by two other heavy trucks.

Three men got out of the trucks and took the driver's big rig by force, binding his legs and leaving him on the road's shoulder.

Highway patrol officers found the driver after receiving reports of a man bound by his legs limping along the side of the road.

The driver did not know what was inside the shipping container.

Octo-mom Nadya Suleman has a video blog online at Radar.

Here's the set-up:

Octo-Mom is packing it in. Nadya Suleman is taking her brood to new digs, she reveals in today's installment of her daily video diary, taped exclusively for RadarOnline.com.

The Octo-Family has found a larger house - 2800 square feet for 14 kids. "It's on a cul-de sac, and it's safe," says Nadya.

And while the octuplets have not come home yet, today's video makes it clear that Nadya has her hands full with the other six kids. Watch as she gets pinched, punched and her hair pulled - all in a day's work for Octo-Mom!

Nadya also reveals the family is going off food stamps and new information about the octuplets condition in this must see video.

And a link.

Barney Melekian is hosting police* chiefs from around the state for an annual training symposium beginning Tuesday at the newly reopened Pasadena Convention Center:

Here's a link to the schedule.

On Thursday, Melekian hosts a workshop: "Police Chief as City Manager"

At least he's not giving lessons in how to handle the press at an officer involved shooting.

 

The Daily Racing Form reports that trainer Julio Canani was arrested in Sierra Madre Sunday on suspicion of DUI.

Canani's horse  3-year-old The Pamplemousse, won Saturday and is considered a top 3-year-old contender with Kentucky Derby aspirations.

Art Wilson profiled Canani in a piece that discusses some of the trainer's superstitions:

Ridden by veteran Alex Solis, whose son, Alex II, is part owner of the colt, The Pamplemousse went gate to wire as the 1-2 favorite to win the 1 1/8-mile race on Pro-Ride by six lengths in 1:47.86 - the fastest running of the Sham in its nine-year existence.

"Listen, time only counts to get out of jail," colorful winning trainer Julio Canani said. "So whatever happens, slow track or fast track, it's life."

The Pamplemousse, who lost his first two starts last year before breaking his maiden in his first try around two turns at Hollywood Park on Dec. 14, has won three of five lifetime.

*Here's what the Sierra Madre PD is saying about the arrest:

Canani, 70, was arrested for vehicle code violations, according to Sierra Madre police Capt. Larry Giannone.

"When officers made contact they further determined he was driving under the influence," Giannone said.

Canani did not pass a field sobriety test that contained "standard exercises," Giannone said.

The trainer was taken to the Pasadena City Jail, booked and released on $5,000 bail with a promise to appear on May 6.

The Kentucky Derby will be run on May 2, so that gives him plenty of time to get back to town.

PASADENA -- Someone dropped a man off at a local hospital late Saturday after he was stabbed several times, police said.
The incident is believed to have occurred about 11:30 p.m. in a residential neighborhood in the area of Lincoln Avenue and Palisade Street, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
The victim, a Latino man in his late-20s, did not appear to be fully cooperating with police, the lieutenant said.
The suspect was described only as a Latino man, and may have known the victim, Ibarra said.
The men apparently became involved in some type of dispute when the victim was stabbed several times in the torso, Ibarra said.
No further details were available Sunday, she said, and the incident remains under investigation.

POMONA -- Police arrested two men Saturday in connection with the shooting death of an unidentified woman earlier in the day, authorities said.
Albert John Martinez, 24, and Cesar Sierra, 31, both of Pomona, were arrested about 6 p.m. following a brief foot chase in the area of Grand and Garvey avenues, Pomona police Sgt. M. Perez said in a written statement.
Detectives following up on a lead spotted a Chevy Suburban containing the two suspects, the sergeant said.
When the detectives pulled the SUV over, Martinez and Sierra reportedly fled on foot but were soon captured without further incident, police said.
They are suspected of shooting a woman, who remained listed with police as a Jane Doe Sunday, about 1:30 a.m. at a Pomona Motel 6, 2470 S. Garvey Avenue, officials said.
Officials said Saturday that the incident appeared to be related to drugs and gangs.
According to court records, Martinez and Sierra are both being held without bail and are due in Pomona Superior Court Tuesday for arraignment.