Man fatally shot in Baldwin Park

BALDWIN PARK — A man fatally shot another man early Saturday in what investigators believed to be a gang-related attack in a residential neighborhood, officials said.
The dead man’s name was not released Saturday afternoon pending positive identification and notification of his family, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Capt. John Kades said.
The victim was standing in driveway in the 13200 block of Francisquito Avenue with two others about 12:45 a.m. prior to the shooting, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Luis Castro said in a written statement.
“(The shooter) approached them and shot the victim several times in the upper torso,” the deputy said.
The gunman then ran south on Francisquito Avenue and entered into the passenger side of a dark-colored Honda sedan, officials said.
The wounded man was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 4 a.m., Kades said.
Officials described the shooter as a Latino man of about 30 years old, tall and thin, wearing a gray sweater and dark jeans.
“The motive is unknown but appears to be gang-related,” Castro added.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau is helping Baldwin Park police with the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323–890-5500.

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Remains of another possible victim of the Green River serial killer found

From the Associated Press:
SEATTLE — Children playing in a ravine south of Seattle this week found the skull of a young mother who vanished nearly three decades ago and has long been thought to be a victim of Green River serial killer Gary Ridgway.
he King County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that dental records identified the remains as those of 20-year-old Rebecca “Becky” Marrero, who was last seen Dec. 3, 1982, as she left a motel room on Pacific Highway South.
reen River killer Gary Ridgway was arrested in 2001 after DNA tests linked him to some of dozens of unsolved killings dating to the early 1980s. He pleaded guilty two years later to murdering 48 women, most of them runaways, prostitutes and drug addicts in a deal that spared him from the death penalty.
arrero, who had a 3-year-old daughter, was believed to be one of Ridgway’s early victims. But he was never charged in her case because her body wasn’t found and because Ridgway couldn’t provide investigators with enough information about her to prove he killed her.
arrero’s skull was found Tuesday in a ravine in Auburn, about 25 miles south of Seattle. It was the same area where the remains of another Ridgway victim, Marie Malvar, were found in September 2003.
t wasn’t immediately clear if the King County Prosecutor’s Office planned to charge Ridgway in Marrero’s death.
With the discovery of Ms. Marrero’s remains detectives and prosecutors will now review the investigation into her disappearance and death,” the office said in a written statement. “Investigators will examine all aspects of the case including any potential involvement of Ridgway.”
ne of Ridgway’s attorneys, Mark Prothero, was out of the office Thursday and couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
rothero wrote in his book on the case, “Defending Gary,” that during extensive interviews Ridgway had “never been able to give the detectives anything useful on the Rebecca Marrero case.”
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Former Bell police officer from Pico Rivera sentenced for on-duty sexual assault

LOS ANGELES — A Pico Rivera man and former Bell police officer received a 9-year sentence Thursday for sexually assaulting a woman after pulling her over for a traffic stop, authorities said.
Feliciano Sanchez, 35, was sentenced to federal prison by U.S. District Judge Valerie Baker Fairbank, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.
He pleaded guilty last year to pulling over a woman on May 16, 2007, driving her to an isolated parking lot and forcing her to perform oral sex, Mrozek said.
Sanchez was in full uniform and had his hand on his duty weapon when he committed the assault, officials said.
Twice after the assault, Sanchez went to the victim’s workplace and told her he was watching her, officials said. The visits prompted the woman to quit her job.
“This former police officer violated his oath to serve and protect the community by committing a crime that was particularly offensive, dehumanizing and harmful,” United States Attorney Andr Birotte Jr. said. “In this case, Mr. Sanchez committed an egregious assault, caused incalculable pain and suffering to the victim, and damaged the honor of the thousands of men and women in law enforcement who serve us every day.”
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UPDATED: Hikers missing in Angeles National Forest above Glendora

UPDATE: Hikers found:
Firefighters used a heat sensor on the helicopter to locate four lost hikers.
The hikers were airlifted out of the Angeles National Forest at 11:24 p.m. Wednesday, Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Fredric Stowers said. They had been missing since Sunday.
The hikers had built a small fire near the east fork of the San Gabriel River just south of the “Bridge to Nowhere,” a popular hiking destination. “They were able to get a hit on the fire,” Stowers said.
The three men and one woman were transported to the East Fork Ranger Station.
The temperature was about 39 degrees at the time of the rescue, according to a state weather station.
Officials said the hikers were believed to be in good condition and were not hospitalized.

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST — Four hikers missing since Sunday are believed to be stranded in the forest north of Glendora, authorities said.
Three men and a woman from Orange County went hiking near the Heaton Flats Ranger Station Sunday and haven’t been seen since, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Craig Boyett said in a written statement.
“Mountain Rescue officials and Aero Bureau personnel have been unable to access the area where the hikers are believed to have taken refuge, due to poor weather conditions, and treacherous water and debris flows,” Boyett said. “Weather permitting, a rescue operation will be coordinated for Thursday morning, which will involve two helicopters and a ground rescue team.”
The missing hikers were described as a 34-year-old Lake Forest man, a 31-year-old Lake Forest man, a 33-year-old Orange man and a 23-year-old Costa Mesa woman.
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Drawing released of burglar who posed as utility worker during Arcadia burglary

48816-Arcadia Distraction Burglary suspect sketh 12-10-thumb-300x396-48815.jpg
ARCADIA — Police released a sketch Wednesday of a man who burglarized a home last week while posing as a utility worker.
The crime took place about 11:30 a.m. Friday at a home in the 1000 block of Fairview Avenue, Arcadia police Sgt. Tom Le Veque said in a written statement.
The burglar knocked at the door and told the resident he worked for a water department, the sergeant said.
“The suspect said that he was there to check water pressure and the victim allowed him to come inside,” Le Veque said.
He wore an identification badge around his neck with the words, “State of California” and the name “John” written on it, police added.
After walking through the home and turning on water faucets, Le Veque said, both burglar and victim ended up in the master bedroom. The burglar then asked the resident to go turn off the water in the kitchen.
“The victim left the suspect unattended for a time and returned to find the suspect leaving the residence, telling the victim that he was going to get some paperwork from his truck,” Le Veque said.
“The suspect did not return. Shortly thereafter, the victim found the bedroom ransacked and jewelry missing.”
Police described the burglar as a man in his 30s of unknown race, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He wore a gray hooded sweat shirt.
Anyone with information is asked to call Arcadia police detectives at 626-574-5160.
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La Canada homes ordered evacuated as storm nears

Evacuations were orders in La Canada Flintridge and La Crescenta. In all 147 homes in La Canada Flintridge and 85 homes in La Crescenta were ordered evacuated. officials did not name the streets involved for “security reasons.”

This from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works:
The Red Cross has established an evacuation shelter at the Holy Redeemer Church at 
2411 Montrose Avenue, Montrose 91020. The shelter will open at 6:00 p.m. 
‘No Parking During Rain Event’ restrictions are currently in force on posted streets in 
La Canada Flintridge and La Crescenta. Parking will not be allowed on those streets 
during the entire rain event and vehicles will be subject to towing. 
         
Residents are urged to continue to monitor news broadcasts, or visit the CARE website at www.dpwcare.org for further updates as this series of storms approach.
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Storm Watch 2010: Pasadena, Altadena, La Canada Flintridge, Sierra Madre prepare for the storm

There’s a Yellow Alert in La Canada; A Green Flag is up in Sierra Madre; a NWS Flash Flood Watch is in effect; and Pasadena officials are offering sand bags.

Here’s the latest bulletin from the National Weather Service:

A PLUME OF VERY DEEP SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE ACROSS THE PACIFIC
OCEAN WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA OVER
THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BRINGING PERIODS OF RAIN TO THE REGION.

THE RAIN MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. WHILE
IT IS DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT THE EXACT TIMING OF THE HEAVIEST
RAIN...IT APPEARS THE GREATEST CHANCES FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL BE
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY...AND AGAIN TUESDAY NIGHT
INTO WEDNESDAY. THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS THROUGH WEDNESDAY ARE
EXPECTED IN THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS FROM SOUTHEASTERN SANTA
BARBARA COUNTY THROUGH LOS ANGELES COUNTY... ESPECIALLY ON AND
BELOW SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES.

INCREASING INSTABILITY TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WILL BRING THE
POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION. RAINFALL RATES OVER
1 INCH PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS.

WITH THE RAINFALL ALREADY RECEIVED...THE ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT
RAINFALL THAT IS EXPECTED WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE THE THREAT OF
MUD AND DEBRIS FLOWS IN AND AROUND THE RECENT BURN AREAS.

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