Recently in Bassett Category

Former Pomona teacher Steven Petralia is set to be sentenced in Superior Court *tomorrow.

A wrong way crash on the Southbound 605 kills a driver.  Just minutes before the accident, Anissa Rivera, our "Mom's the word" blogger describes her family's close call.

APU students are causing a parking problem in the neighborhood.

The search for more Manson Family victims at Barker Ranch in Inyo was a big zip.

Sheriff's Department about to release more information in the March slaying of a Covina Hills woman who was on the phone with 9-1-1 when she was shot to death.

INDUSTRY -- Sheriff's officials are in the process of "relocating" several homeless people encamped near San Angelo Park in La Puente.

The operation began about 7 a.m. and will continue through the day. As many as 60 homeless are encamped near the park in the San Mateo Creek, according to Los Angeles County sheriff's Capt. Mike Smith.

"There's a lot of underbrush and thickets there," he said. "It's not hygenic. Another problem is that it's still winter and we're due for rainstorms. A rising river poses a threat to them and public safety personel."

Smith said the homeless will be hooked up with mental and social services and beds will be found. The folks will be innoculated.

Oh, and the sheriff's department will run a criminal background check on al lthey come into contact with, Smith said.

"There are criminals that use homeless encampments for cover to go out and commit burglaries and robberies," he said. "Everyone will be run for warrants and their criminal wanted history."

Fred Ortega's piece on the history and influence of La Eme is now online. Here's an excerpt from the bottom of the story:  The SGVN's online look at gangs is here.

The (Lola) Llantada case is only the latest example of the influence that the Eme wields in the San Gabriel Valley.

In April 2006, four men were arrested in Pomona in connection with an attempted Mexican Mafia contract killing. Their trial is scheduled for this year.

Last November, reputed Emero Frank "Frankie B" Buelna, 61, was shot to death in a Pomona sports bar. Buelna was reputed to have broad power within the Mexican Mafia, and officials are still investigating the motive behind his killing. The perpetrators are still at large.

And in December, reputed Eme member Eulalio "Lalo" Martinez, 46, was charged with ordering the killing of former gang member Donald "Pato" Schubert in Rosemead in 1998. In that case, prosecutors allege that Martinez runs the Lomas Rosemead street gang from Pelican Bay State Prison, where he has been incarcerated for the past 15 years.

La Eme's deep roots in the San Gabriel Valley became clearly evident to Steinwand, the sheriff's homicide investigator, when he moved to the Industry Station from the South Central Los Angeles area early in his career.

"Over there in South Central when there were orders from the Eme to stop drive-bys, guys would go out and do five of them in one night just to spite them," said Steinwand, who has been a detective for 18 years. "But they have a lot more control on this side of the 710 (Freeway).

"When I came to work at the Industry Station, it was amazing," he added. "When the Eme said something, (the gangs) listened."

 

Some of this information surfaced during the investigation of Robert Whitehead's killing. Whitehead was killed after confronting taggers near his parents home. Among those suspected in the case was Paul "Malo" Salazar, a graduate of Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, who was also a suspected member of Puente Trece.

Salazar was killed at his home during a get-together in July.

Interesting side note, Whitehead's brother is a Monrovia police officer. 

Both of these come from reporter Brian Day, SGVN's crack night cop reporter:

BASSETT — Officials have released the identity of a man found shot and killed inside a trailer Sunday.
Richard Casillas, Jr., a 43-year-old La Puente resident, was pronounced dead shortly before 9 a.m. in the 13800 block of Proctor Avenue, said Los Angeles County coroner’s Lt. Fred Corral.
The shooting is being investigated as a homicide, Corral said.
No further details were available.

ROWLAND HEIGHTS — A man found shot to death last week remained unidentified Monday, officials said.
The body was discovered about 5:30 a.m. in the 18100 block of Los Palacios Drive, sheriff’s officials said.
The dead man, only described as Latino, is believed to have been shot elsewhere and dropped off on Los Palacios Drive, said Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Maribel Rizo.
Investigators are still investigating the man’s identity through methods such as finger prints and dental records, however he is currently designated John Doe No. 24, said Los Angeles County coroner’s Lt. Fred Corral.
No further details were released.

This from reporter Brian Day, who worked on Super Bowl Sunday:

BASSETT - A man was shot and killed in a residential neighborhood Sunday, officials said.

The incident was reported about 8:40 a.m. in the 13800 block of Proctor Avenue, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Luis Castro.

The man was described as a Latino in his mid-30s, and was pronounced dead at the scene, said Los Angeles County Fire Department officials.

The man was found inside a trailer behind a home, officials added.

Detectives from the sheriff's homicide bureau are handling the investigation.

No further details were available.

Not much else was known. We'll keep an eye on it.

On November 3, 2007, Victim Bernardo Mendoza was shot and killed at “My Place Bar” in the Los Angeles County unincorporated area of Bassett.

Julio “Rocky” Duenas was identified as being in the area on the night of the shooting. Detectives are seeking to question Julio Duenas regarding the incident.

Julio Duenas is believed to live in the southeast Los Angeles area and is known to have an interest in horses. He was last seen driving a grey or silver Toyota Camry.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

Attention: SERGEANT E. GODFREY at (323) 890-5632 or

DETECTIVE P. MARTINEZ at (323) 890-5629

File Number 007-19353-1462-011 Phone (323) 890-5500 Fax (323) 887-1160

L.A.S.D. Homicide Bureau, 5747 Rickenbacker Road, Commerce 90040 (dr)

Frankie B  was shot to death at Characters Bar  in Pomona Monday night.

Described as a "legendary emero" Frankie B, was apparently picked up last year in a sweep of P-12 on Pomona's southside. he was back out and enjoying a bit of night life when his number came up.

By all accounts, Frankie B was pretty well known and fairly well-connected in the East San Garbiel Valley.

Apparently he once lived in Bassett. but hung out in Pomona. He frequently jogged around the neighborhood and tried to stay fit, according to at least one person who knew him. One rumor has it that Frankie was "in the hat" for several years and knew it.

Anyway, In the Hat has a short posting, with a ton more comments. By way of full disclosure, I once mispent a year of my life hanging out at Characters, shooting pool, tossing darts and swilling beer.

The early version ... more to follow:
By Dan Abendschein
Staff Writer
BASSETT— Following an argument over how a band should be paid, police said Monday they looking for a man who opened fire in a crowded bar, killing an innocent bystander and wounding four others.
The shooting Saturday night followed a dispute over whether bar patrons should pay extra to hear live music, officials said.
The suspected gunman is described as 6 feet tall, 235 pounds. He is between 35 and 40 years old and was driving a light-colored SUV, said Lt. Dan Rosenberg of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.
shooting and killing
Killed was Bernardo Mendoza, 44, of La Puente, who was gunned down even though he had nothing to do with the dispute over paying the band, Rosenberg said..
Mendoza left behind a wife and two children, according to Rosenberg.

After a while this gets a little frustrating.... City officials in La Puente are a little ticked that we indicated the shooting of a woman somewhere near the 605 and Valley Boulevard occurred in La Puente.
Sheriff's officials have corrected our geography once again. They say this happened in Bassett, an unincorporated portion of Eastern Los Angeles County.
Just last week we received this email on the very same topic.