Recently in Walnut Category

UPDATED: Woman accused of killing estranged husband in Walnut pleads not guilty

| | Comments (2) |
WALNUT -- A woman accused of fatally stabbing her estranged husband at his home in Walnut last year pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from the killing, authorities said.
Socorro Mora, 44, is charged with the murder of 47-year-old George Mora, who was stabbed to death Oct. 19 at the home he shared with the couple's four children in the 21600 block of Brookside Court, investigators said. The children, ranging in age from 8 to 16, were not home during the attack.
In Pomona Superior Court Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Taraneh Saba filed an amended felony complaint indicating that Mora allegedly grew increasingly violent in the weeks leading up to the killing.
The amended complaint added charges of cruelty to an animal and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, officials said.
"(The animal cruelty charge) is due to her stabbing the family dog to death with a knife," Taraneh said. That incident is alleged to have taken place Sept. 24.
The domestic violence charge stems from a previous incident between Socorro and George Mora on Sept. 13.
Shortly after the September domestic violence incident, George Mora obtained a restraining order against his estranged wife.
The couple had celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary two months before the killing and separated shortly after, according to family members.
Outside of a domestic incident, a motive in the killing has not been released.
Socorro Mora was found in front of her husband's home suffering from stab wounds, though it was not clear how she received them. George Mora was pronounced dead inside the home.
She also suffered stab wounds in the incident, however authorities have not disclosed how she is believed to have received them. 
Socorro Mora was initially hospitalized with serious injuries before being booked into at the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood.
She was ordered back into Pomona Superior Court for another hearing Feb. 22, officials said.
According to county booking records, she was being held in lieu of $5 million bail.
A fund has been set up through Bank of America to benefit the Mora children. Donations can be made to the "Mora Children's Fund," account number 07822-77374.

Former Mt. Sac fire chief pleads no contest to stealing from students

| | Comments (0) |
POMONA - A former Mt. San Antonio College fire chief accused of stealing nearly $1 million from students and the college pleaded no contest Tuesday to 16 felony charges, Los Angeles County prosecutors said.
Jerry Dewayne Austin, 57, of Norco, was released from custody after pleading no contest to two felony counts of identity theft, two felony counts of forgery and 12 felony counts of grand theft at his jury trial hearing at Pomona Superior Court, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney James Belna said.
Austin, who was arrested in January, could be sentenced to two to five years in prison with time served, officials said.
"We were basically prepared for trial and we would have gone to trial if we couldn't settle it. We felt this was the best option under all the circumstances," Austin's attorney Early Hawkins said.
"We felt that at the end of the day we'd possibly be in the same place," Hawkins said. "I don't think he's a thief and I will continue to say that, and given everything that's happened I think we're satisfied with today and we'll continue to march on."
A sentencing hearing and restitution hearing to determine how much money Austin will have to pay back to students and Mt. SAC once he's released from prison is scheduled for Feb. 24.
"We're pleased the case is coming to some resolution, but we will await the judge's final decision regarding the sentencing," Mt. SAC spokeswoman Jill Dolan said. 'We remain committed to obtaining restitution to the college and the students."
Austin, who was the director of Mt. SAC's Fire Technology Program since 2003, overcharged students for classes and equipment and deposited the money in a fraudulent bank account using the school's tax identification number.
Austin opened the unauthorized account in October 2005 using the forged signature of a part-time faculty member, according to a felony complaint. After authorizing himself as the administrator of the account, Austin embezzled at least $150,000 from the school.
Austin, who was terminated from Mt. SAC in August, also stole at least $500,000 from 11 victims between August 2008 and August 2010, according to the complaint.
The total amount taken could exceed $800,000, detectives said.
- From Staff Writer Juliette Funes

Parolee outreach planned in Walnut

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- A Los Angeles County sheriff's lieutenant is inviting area parolees and their families to join him at the Walnut Senior Center Wednesday for free hot dogs, chips and drinks at an outreach.
The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the center, 21215 La Puente Road, said coordinator Lt. John Saleeby.
The lieutenant has already hosted several other "hot dog outreaches" for parolees in the area. The events are a Christian-based outreach program, often featuring testimonials from ex-convicts, aimed at helping local parolees avoid getting back into trouble with the law.
"It's the holiday season. It's time for people to make a new start," Saleeby said.
Saleeby emphasized that the event is not a sting or a parole compliance check, but simply an effort to provide parolees with a positive support network.
Guests are encouraged to bring their families along.
For more information, contact Saleeby at the sheriff's Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at 626-913-1715.

Man jailed on suspicion of Walnut bank robbery

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- Detectives arrested a remorseful robbery suspect Wednesday on suspicion of carrying out a heist the day before at a Walnut bank branch, authorities said.
JAIMES LAWLER BOOKING.jpgJaimes Lawler, 27, is described as a transient with ties to the Walnut area, Sgt. Michael Maher of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Major Crime's Bureau said. He was booked on suspicion of armed bank robbery.
Lawler, who did not initially appear to have any significant criminal record, said he committed the crime out of financial desperation.
"He sounds somewhat sorry for his actions, more than most," Maher said.
He was arrested about 9:30 a.m. as he was leaving an apartment building in Los Angeles, the sergeant said.
The robbery took place about 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Bank of America, 200 S. Lemon Ave., sheriff's officials said.
Lawler entered the bank, handed a teller a note demanding money and brandished a handgun, Maher said. He fled with about $1,700.
A set of hair clippers Lawler used to shave his head and beard following the robbery were also found during his arrest, Lt. Kent Wegener said.
Both sheriff's and FBI investigators soon identified the suspect as Lawler, partly due to surveillance images obtained from the bank, officials said. He was tracked to an apartment building in the 400 block of South Bixel Avenue in Los Angeles where he was arrested without a struggle.
JAIMES LAWLER ROBBERY 1.jpgOfficials recovered nearly $1,600 of the loot, as well as a red bag and the hand-written note used in the robbery, Maher said. The gun used in the crime was not found.
"Subsequently, during an interview, (Lawler) confessed to the bank robbery," Maher said.
According to county booking records, Lawler was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and was due for arraignment Friday in Pomona Superior Court.

Bank robbery reported in Walnut

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- An armed robber fled with an unknown amount of cash Tuesday after a robbery at a Bank of America branch, authorities said.
The crime took place about 11 a.m. at the bank, 200 S. Lemon Ave., Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Angela Becerra said.
No one was hurt in the robbery, she added.
According to initial reports from the scene, the robber was a black man in his 20s or 30s, of medium build, wearing a green plaid shirt and black-framed glasses. He brandished a handgun during the crime.
The robber was last seen fleeing the area on foot, authorities said.

Hearing delayed for woman accused of killing estranged husband in Walnut

| | Comments (1) |
WALNUT -- A hearing for a woman accused of fatally stabbing her estranged husband at his Walnut home was delayed Tuesday, authorities said.
Socorro Mora, 43, was scheduled to be arraigned for the murder of George Mora in Pomona Superior Court, however the hearing was continued until Dec. 15, court officials said.
Socorro Mora is accused of stabbing her estranged husband to death Oct. 19 at the home he George Mora 1.JPGshared with the couple's four children in the 21600 block of Brookside Court. She also suffered stab wounds in the incident, however authorities have not disclosed how she is believed to have received them.
The couple had celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary in August before separating, family members said.
George Mora had obtained a restraining order against his wife about three weeks prior to the killing, authorities said. Mora is also accused of showing up at George Mora's home and stabbing the family dog to death about a week for the slaying.
Family members described Mora as a dedicated father whose life revolved around taking care of his children.
According to county booking records, Socorro Mora, who was initially being held in a hospital jail ward following the incident for treatment of her own stab wounds, was being held in lieu of $5 million bail at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.

*PHOTO of alleged murder victim George Mora courtesy of the Mora family.

Three burglary suspects jailed after search near Mt. SAC

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- Sheriff's deputies arrested three burglary suspects Wednesday after a brief chase and manhunt near Mt. San Antonio College, authorities said.
The suspects' names were not released due to an ongoing investigation by detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau, sheriff's Lt. John Saleeby said. They were initially described as Los Angeles-area men in their early 20s.
Deputies responded about 11:30 a.m. to a report of a break-in at a home in the 19000 block of Country Hollow Drive and spotted the suspects' vehicle in the area, the lieutenant said.
Officials initially followed behind the car, then began a pursuit when it failed to pull over, Saleeby said.
The chase led to a parking lot of nearby Mt. SAC, where the driver slowed down to allow his two passengers to exit the car and continue fleeing on foot, Saleeby said. The driver then abandoned the car in a nearby neighborhood before also taking flight on foot.
Deputies set up a search perimeter and quickly located the three suspects, officials said. Items believed to have been stolen from the home on Country Hollow Drive were recovered.
Major Crimes Bureau detectives were looking into the possibility the men may be involved in other burglaries.

West Covina woman slain one year ago remembered

| | Comments (0) |
MICHELE CARSON.jpg

WEST COVINA - One year ago today, a family was altered forever with a single piece of heartbreaking news: Michele Carson had been found dead.

Carson had gone to Las Vegas with a friend, and her parents - John Carson of West Covina and Esther Deleon of La Verne - learned after her death that she had met up with an ex-boyfriend. Las Vegas police say the ex-boyfriend, Justin Burns, strangled Michele and set her body on fire in the desert along Interstate 15. She was 25 when she died... MORE

Court date set for woman accused of estranged husbands killing in Walnut

| | Comments (1) |
WALNUT -- A court date has been set for a woman accused of stabbing her husband in his Walnut home, authorities said.
Socorro Mora, 43, is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 22 in Pomona Superior Court for the murder of her 47-year-old estranged husband George Mora Oct. 19 at his house in the 21600 block of Brookside Court, court officials said.
The hearing was initially scheduled for Thursday, but postponed as the defendant remained hospitalized due to her own stab wounds.
Deputies responded to a call from Socorro Mora reporting a domestic violence incident at the home before finding both she and her husband stabbed, investigators said.
Socorro Mora was found critically wounded in the front yard of the home, while George Mora was pronounced dead from his injuries inside the home.
Investigators have not said how Socorro Mora is believed to have suffered her injuries.

Coroner rules Walnut man's death a homicide

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- A man found fatally stabbed at his Walnut home Wednesday, where his estranged wife was also found stabbed and badly wounded, was killed, coroner's officials said.
George Mora, 47, died from stab wounds and an autopsy ruled the death to be a homicide, Los Angeles County Coroner's officials said.
Sheriff's investigators have said they're still investigating what took place between the couple at the home in the 21600 block of Brookside Court, and it was unclear who may have been the aggressor in the domestic attack.
As of Friday, detectives had not been able to speak with the injured woman, 43-year-old Socorra Mora, due to her medical condition, Lt. Matt Burson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
It remained unclear Saturday how Socorra Mora suffered her stab wounds.

Circumstances of Walnut double stabbing still unknown

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- A woman critically injured in stabbing that left her estranged husband dead was hospitalized in stable condition Friday, however the circumstances of the incident remained a mystery, authorities said.
Socorra Mora, 43, was found seriously wounded in the front yard of her estranged husband's home in the 21600 block of Brookside Court shortly after she called 9-1-1 to report a domestic violence incident, Lt. Matt Burson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Her husband, 47-year-old George Mora, was found stabbed inside the home and pronounced dead, officials said.
While investigators have said it appears the stabbing involved only Socorra and George Mora, it was not clear what took place or who may have been the aggressor in the confrontation.
Because of Socorra Mora's medical condition, "We haven't had a real opportunity to talk to her," Burson said.
Coroner's officials planned an autopsy Saturday to determine George Mora's official cause of death, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
The couple had four children who lived with their father, officials said. None were home at the time of the stabbings, and they had been placed with other family members following the incident.

Walnut man killed in stabbing identified

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- Authorities Thursday released the name of a 47-year-old man found stabbed to death in his home in what detectives called a domestic incident that also left his estranged wife critically injured.
George Mora was pronounced dead in his home following the 8:50 a.m. stabbings in the 21600 block of Brookside Court, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said.
Sheriff's investigators said they do not know the circumstances surrounding the assaults, but believed they were the result of a domestic incident between Mora and his estranged wife. No suspects were being sought.
Deputies from the sheriff's Walnut-Diamond Bar Station responded to a 9-1-1 call from the woman reporting a domestic violence situation, Sgt. Robert Martindale of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
The estranged wife, a 43-year-old woman whose name was not released, was found sitting on a bench in the front yard of the home, officials said. She directed deputies inside the two-story house, where they found Mora.
Both Mora and the woman suffered stab wounds to their upper bodies, Martindale said. The woman was hospitalized in critical condition but expected to survive.
Coroner's officials planned to perform an autopsy to determine Mora's cause of death, Harvey said.
The woman's SUV, a black Ford Expedition, was found parked in the parking lot of a shopping center about 2,000 feet from the crime scene.
Neighbors said the couple had four children who lived with Mora, ranging from elementary school age to high school age.
None of the children were home when the incident occurred, officials said.

UPDATED: One dead, one wounded in Walnut stabbing

| | Comments (0) |
WALNUT -- A man died and a woman was critically injured Wednesday in a stabbing initially believed to be a domestic incident between a husband and wife, officials said.
The incident was first reported about 8:50 p.m. at a home in the 21600 block of Brookside Court, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Don Kunitomi said.
Officials initially received reports of to stabbing victims in critical condition, the inspector said.
Firefighters arrived and pronounced one of the patients dead at the scene, while the other was rushed to a hospital with major injuries, officials said.
Sheriff's officials said it was the husband who died at the scene, while the wife was hospitalized with serious injuries.
No suspect was believed to be outstanding, and the incident appeared to have involved only the husband and wife, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Ernie Vanderporten said. The circumstances of the stabbing remained under investigation.
Deputies have responded to family disturbances at the home several times in the past, he added.
The man and woman were believed to be the only people at home when the stabbing took place, officials said.
No further details were available.

Retired LAPD sergeant's killing in Walnut remains unsolved

| | Comments (3) |
Ruben Whittington.JPGWALNUT -- Four years after the unsolved shooting death of a retired police sergeant and school teacher outside his Walnut handyman business, detectives and family members are renewing their calls to bring his killer to justice.
Ruben Whittington, 61, of Diamond Bar, had just left his Mr. Handyman business in the 300 block of South Lemon Avenue on July 29, 2007, when he was fatally shot, sheriff's investigators said.
No motive has been established in the killing, and nothing was believed to have been stolen from Whittington.
"It's just so hard to understand what the person wanted enough to kill him," said his wife, Marsha Kramer. "I will never understand. The worst part of the anger and the frustration is it literally got them nothing."
Whittington had noticed a flat tire on his SUV and was waiting for a tow truck when he was shot, authorities said.
"Our best guess is he couldn't get the lug nut off for some reason, he called AAA," Kramer said. "As he was waiting for the tow, he was killed."
Between five and 10 minutes passed between the time Whittington called AAA and the time the driver arrived and found him dead.
Investigators have been left with no witnesses and no solid leads to follow, Detective Kevin Lowe of the Los Angeles County sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
"It's a frustrating case for us," Lowe said, adding that detectives continue to pursue the killer.
The leading theory in the shooting is that Whittington was surprised by someone who tried to rob him, the detective said. But he added he could also not rule out the possibility of some type of personal dispute "that we didn't know about."
Having been retired from the LAPD for 13 years at the time of the killing, Lowe said it was unlikely the shooting had anything to do with his previous career as a Los Angeles police officer.
Whittington resisted his attacker, Lowe said.
"There were defensive wounds," he said. "There was a struggle, I believe over the gun. It was a struggle for his life. He put up a good fight."
Whittington was ultimately shot in the torso and died at the scene.
Though his status as a retired police sergeant allowed Whittington to carry a concealed handgun, he didn't arm himself, Kramer said.
"We really talked about that," she said. "His thought was, honestly, it's pretty easy to disarm an older person."
It did not appear that the killer intentionally flattened Whittington's tire prior to the killing, Lowe said. A nail was found in the tire of Whittington's SUV that appeared to have been there for some time.
Whittington, a Vietnam veteran, was born and raised in the Philadelphia area before coming to California to join the LAPD in 1974, his wife said.
"He loved being a cop, and it suited him so well because he was a community service kind of guy," she said.
After his retirement from police work, he spent 10 years teaching law enforcement at high schools through the La Puente Valley Regional Occupational Program.
"As it turned out, he loved it," Kramer said. "Besides liking the kids and wanting to talk to them, he tried to get them to do really productive things in their lives. He recruited many officers into the LAPD."
In 2005, he started his handyman business.
She described her husband as an "extremely sociable" man who quickly made friends with everyone he met.
Whittington is survived by son, Joseph, 29, and daughter, Emily, 27.
Kramer said she was thankful for the detectives and community since her husband's slaying.
"They've been really gracious to us," she said.
Kramer and Lowe both said they hope someone has information regarding this killing and implored anyone who may have information to call sheriff's homicide investigators at 323-890-5500.
With all leads in the case drying up, Lowe said, "we'll take any help we can get."

PHOTO of Ruben Whittington courtesy of family members

CONTRIBUTORS

Frank Girardot
Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank.

Brian Day
Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group.
E-mail Brian.

About this Archive

This page is a archive of recent entries in the Walnut category.

Vernon is the previous category.

Wambaugh is the next category.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.

Recent Comments

Flowers Delivery Florist on A criminal blast from a Walnut councilman's past: Attractive element of content. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and ...

wordpress on East Valinda home scorched in blaze: Hi mates, nice piece of writing and good urging commented here, I am a ...

surveillance cameras system on Chilling footage from attempted Starbucks robbery: I don't even understand how I finished up here, but I thought this sub ...

OBD2 on Probe continues into discovery of body in burning car in Pomona: Explore 200+ Auto Repair Tools. Deals on Obd2 Tool! ...

custom essays on Investigation continues in fatal shooting of 6-year-old boy: People all over the world order the pre written essay or custom writin ...

custom writing on 6-year-old boy fatally shot in Azusa: Thanks a lot for the text about this good topic! In fact that the essa ...

custom essays on 6-year-old boy fatally shot in Azusa: People in the whole world buy the already written essays and custom es ...

House Cleaning San Francisco on Activity in Monrovia: Thanks for some other fantastic article. Where else may anyone get tha ...

House Cleaning San Francisco on Investigation continues in Monterey Park shooting: Wonderful work! That is the kind of info that are supposed to be share ...

ford vcm on Apparent electrocution in Whittier remains under investigation: A marvelous content product content articles usually attracts many tou ...

Powered by Movable Type 4.25

Advertisement

Headlines

Categories