Arcadia couple sentenced for stabbing at Pasadena’s Central Park

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Brian Day

PASADENA — An Arcadia couple has been sentenced to jail for a knife attack on a man at Central Park, officials said.
Anthony Freeman, 30, and his girlfriend Ashton Elizabeth Bond, 25, pleaded no contest Thursday to charges of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the Sept. 30 stabbing at the park at 275 S. Raymond Avenue, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
Freeman was immediately sentenced to a year in county jail and three years of formal probation, Robison said. Bond received a sentenced of 244 days in jail, as well as three years of formal probation.
The couple was initially arrested and charged with attempted murder. A conviction of the charge could carry a prison sentencing ranging from five years to life behind bars.
The stabbing victim, described by investigators as a transient in his mid-30s, had been involved in a dispute with a friend of the suspects prior to the attack, according to Pasadena police.
Freeman and Bond were looking for the victim when they showed up at the park around 3:30 a.m, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
They found him, and stabbed him several times in the upper body, police said. He was expected to recover from his injuries.
Police arrested Freeman about an hour after the stabbing, while Bond was arrested two days later when she arrived at Freeman’s Pasadena Superior Court arraignment two days later.

Detectives release name of woman found slain in Angeles National Forest

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Brian Day

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST — Detectives have released the name of a San Pedro woman found brutally slain last month on a hiking trail north of the San Gabriel Valley.
Arela Leyva Quinones, 45, was pronounced dead after her body was discovered by hikers on a trail at the east end of East Fork Road, Lt. Dave Coleman of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said. She had been stabbed in the throat.
No suspects were in custody, however detectives continued following leads in the investigation, Coleman said.
“We’re doing forensic examination of tire tracks at the scene,” the lieutenant said. It was not clear Wednesday what type of vehicle they belonged to.
There were no personal items found along with Quinone’s body, and it was not known whether anything was stolen from her, Coleman said.
Detectives have identified and visited other location connected to the slaying, however Coleman declined to give further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Quinones was a mother, officials said, though it was not clear how many children she had, or how old they are. She had no gang ties.
It appeared she was killed at the site where her body was discovered sometime earlier in the day, Coleman said.
Information was not available from the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner due to a security hold requested by sheriff’s investigators that remained in effect Wednesday, coroner’s Assistant Chief of Operation Ed Winter said.
Anyone with information was asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Good Samaritans detain attempted murder suspect after double-stabbing near Arcadia

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Brian Day

ARCADIA — Three Good Samaritans subdued a man who allegedly stabbed his girlfriend and her mother Thursday night, officials said.
Michael Laslo Czovek, 31, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbings, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials and county booking records.
The girlfriend was critically injured.
Sheriff’s Sgt. James Long said Czovek was disarmed and detained by two neighbors and a man driving by.
Czovek was also injured during the 7:35 p.m. incident in the 2900 block of Foss Avenue, in an unincorporated area near Arcadia.
The sheriff’s Temple Station received a call about a man with a knife who was in the house. Deputies were also told there was a “female down” at the location.
The stabbing was believed to have stemmed from a domestic dispute.
Long said Czovek, who was living at the house, was told to leave.
“It was his last day at the house,” the sergeant said, adding that the man used a couple of knives in the assault.
There were five to six people at the home when it happened, he said.
“It started in the house (then) went to the front yard,” Long said.
Long didn’t know how the suspect was injured but said he was taken to Methodist Hospital of Southern California prior to booking
The two women were transported to a hospital.
According to county booking records, Czovek was being held in lieu of $1 million bail pending a scheduled arraignment Monday in El Monte Superior Court.

- Staff report

UPDATED: Off-duty police officer stabbed during Whittier home invasion

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Brian Day

WHITTIER — An off-duty police officer suffered stab wounds but was expected to survive following a home invasion on Pioneer Boulevard Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
The stabbing in the 5400 block of Pioneer Boulevard was reported about 3:20 p.m., Whittier police Officer Bradley White said.
The victim, described by Whittier police as an off-duty officer from another police agency, suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening, White said.
“The victim was stabbed multiple times,”he said. It was unclear what type of weapon was used.
Police initially described the attacker only as a black man. He was last seen fleeing north on Pioneer Boulevard in a red sedan.
It was unclear whether the attacker was injured during the incident, White said.
Further details were not available as the investigation continued late Thursday.

Woman stabbed in neck at Norwalk house party

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Brian Day

NORWALK — A woman was expected to survive after she was stabbed in the neck by another woman during an argument at a house party early Saturday, authorities said.
Deputies responded to reports of of a stabbing about 1 a.m. in the 15100 block of Alburtis Avenue, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Franck said.
The victim, a woman in her mid-40s, was hospitalized in stable condition with a slash wound to her neck following the alleged attack, the sergeant said.
Officials initially described the suspect as a woman in her mid-20s.
The suspect and victim were believed to have known each other prior to the incident, however Franck declined to discuss a motive as the investigation remained in its early stages.

UPDATED: Trial ongoing for woman accused of stabbing boyfriend to death in South Whittier

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Brian Day

NORWALK — Trial continued Thursday for a Fontana woman accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend in the South Whittier apartment they shared more than three years ago.
Michelle Pacheco, 29, has been charged with the Nov. 27, 2009, death of 29-year-old Sean Casillas in the 14300 block of Mulberry Drive, just east of Mills Avenue, in an unincorporated area south of Whittier.
“I just want justice for my son. He didn’t deserve what happened to him,” Melinda Casillas said.
The trial began Jan. 9 in Norwalk Superior Court, Los Angeles County Superior Court spokeswoman Elizabeth Martinez said. The trial continues today with prosecution testimony.
The District Attorney’s Office in 2010 initially declined to file charges against Pacheco.
Pacheco claimed she stabbed Casillas in self-defense when he became aggressive toward her while he was drunk, according to Lt. Dave Dolson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.
Casillas, who was stabbed in the chest with a steak knife, was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center where he died a short time later.
Only Pacheco, Casillas and Pacheco’s then-5-year-old daughter were present when the stabbing took place, detectives said.
But the investigation continued, spurred by a request from Casillas’ mother to review the case.
Pacheco’s account of events was vague at times, and seemed to be lacking some information, Dolson said.
Detectives arrested her Feb. 17, 2011, in Fontana where she moved following Casillas’ death.
She was charged with murder as well as the special allegation that she personally used a knife in the killing.
Melinda Casillas lived in an apartment in the same complex as her son for three years. On Nov. 27, 2009, she said Pacheco called her. She was told her son was bleeding and needed to be taken to the hospital.
Melinda Casillas is expected to take the stand today.
According to county booking records, Pacheco was being held in lieu of $1.02 million bail as the trial continues.

- Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales contributed to this report.

Stabbing reported in Pomona

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Brian Day

POMONA — A person was wounded in an early-morning stabbing along Holt Avenue Saturday, officials said, however little information was released.
The stabbing took place about 2:30 a.m. at Holt Avenue and Hamilton Boulevard.
It was believed to be related to a family dispute, Pomona police Sgt. Lena Becker said, adding that the victim was hospitalized in stable condition.
Police released no further information Saturday.

Man stabbed in face during fight in Pasadena

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Brian Day

PASADENA — A fight between friends resulted in a man being hospitalized with a slash wound to his face, police said.
Daniel Altamirano, 20, of Pasadena was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon following the incident, which took place just after 3 a.m. in the 400 block of North Chester Avenue, just north of Maple Street, Pasadena police Lt. Rick Aversano said.
The stabbing victim, a 20-year-old Los Angeles man, was a friend of the suspect, Aversano said.
They got into a fight, during which Altamirano used a sharp weapon to slash his friend’s face, the lieutenant said.
The extent of the victims was not available.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, Altamirano was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail at the Pasadena Police Department jail pending his initial court appearance.

Man stabbed during robbery in Rosemead

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Brian Day

ROSEMEAD — A 24-year-old man was attacked and stabbed in the stomach during a Friday robbery.
Lt. Ignacio Somoano of the sheriff’s Temple station said nothing was taken during the 7:30 p.m. robbery on Ivar Avenue between Marshall Street and Valley Boulevard.
A man was walking on the sidewalk when two men approached him.
They asked him where he was from and does he have any property, Somoano said.
“Before he could respond, they started physically assaulting the victim,” Somoano said.
During the attack, he said the victim felt pain to his abdomen. The two suspects then ran off.
The victim was taken by a private car to Garfield Medical Center. Somoano said the man’s injury was non life-threatening.
The two suspects were described as Latinos with shaved heads, between 20 to 25, 5 feet 8 inches tall and about 180 pounds. They wore black clothing.

- Ruby Gonzales

Transient stabbed in leg in West Covina

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Brian Day

WEST COVINA — A transient who suffered a stab wound to the leg told police two men attacked him Wednesday night.
Hospital staff notified West Covina police about the injured man who ended up at their facility.
West Covina police Lt. Ken Plunkett said the incident happened at 9:29 p.m. outside a bar in the 300 block of South Glendora Avenue.
The victim told officers he was approached by two men. One punched him in the face, he fell to the ground and was punched again, according to Plunkett.
The victim felt his leg hurting and saw it bleeding. Plunkett said the man realized he’d been stabbed.
Someone took the wounded man to the hospital.
The victim didn’t know why he was attacked. He described the suspects only as two men, possibly Latinos.