Body found in Angeles National Forest identified; death remains a mystery

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Brian Day

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Coroner’s investigators have identified the remains of a Los Angeles man found with possible stab wounds deep in the Angeles National Forest nearly four months ago, but the circumstances of his death remain a mystery.
The body of German De Jesus Ochoa Berrios, 20, was first discovered by hikers about 12:30 p.m. on April 30 in some bushes near mile marker 21.08 of Angeles Forest Highway, near Big Tujunga Canyon Road north of La Canada Flintridge, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
He remained unidentified in the months following the discovery to do the advanced stage of decomposition in which the remains were found, officials said. The man was initially believed to be of Asian descent, though he was ultimately found to be Latino.
The hikers noticed a bad odor, which led them to find the remains, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Darrin Walker said at the time. They weren’t sure if the remains were human or animal, but notified the authorities.
Their suspicions proved correct, as investigators soon determined the remains belonged to a man.
It appeared the man may have suffered stab wounds to his chest, according to sheriff’s and coroner’s officials.
But his official cause of death remained under investigation as coroner’s investigators awaited the results of forensic tests, Winter said. It was not clear how long the body had been there before it was found.
No further details regarding the circumstances of the death have been released. Handling detectives could not be reached for comment Friday.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Woman found dead at Baldwin Park motel identified; cause of death remains a mystery

Posted on July 2, 2017 by Brian Day

BALDWIN PARK >> Authorities have identified a 19-year-old woman found dead inside a Baldwin Park motel on Friday, though her cause of death remained under investigation, authorities said.
Nancy Ester Mederos Gudino of Baldwin Park was pronounced dead shortly after 11:15 a.m. at a motel in the 13900 block of Francisquito Avenue, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator Rudy Molano said.
It was not immediately clear how she died, but investigators noted signs of trauma to her upper torso, Deputy Ryan Rouzan of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau said.
An autopsy was yet to be completed, according to Molano.
A man was detained at the scene for questioning, officials said. But it was not clear Sunday whether officials had arrested the man or set him free.
No further details were available.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, which is assisting Baldwin Park police in the investigation, at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

UPDATED: Detectives investigate death of woman at Baldwin Park motel

Posted on July 1, 2017 by Brian Day

BALDWIN PARK >> A woman found dead inside a Baldwin Park motel Friday afternoon with trauma to her “upper body,” and detectives detained a man found at the scene for questioning, authorities said.
The woman’s body was first discovered about 2 p.m. inside a room at a motel in the 13900 block of Francisquito Avenue, Deputy Ryan Rouzan of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau said. It remained unclear Friday evening how she died.
“Baldwin Park Police Department personnel responded to the location regarding a ‘keep the peace’ call,’ Deputy Ryan Rouzan said in a written statement.
“Upon their arrival, officers discovered a female Hispanic adult who had sustained trauma to her upper body,” he said. “The trauma was caused by an unknown object.”
Paramedics pronounced the woman dead at the scene.
A man who was found at the scene was “detained, pending an interview with detectives,” Rouzan said.
No further details were released.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Man dies after being restrained by police in Whittier

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Brian Day

WHITTIER >> A mentally ill man lost consciousness and ultimately died at a hospital after he was restrained by police in Whittier on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
The man, whose identity was not available, died at PIH Health Hospital in Whittier shortly before 2 p.m., according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s and Whittier police officials said.
Officers responded to a home in the 14400 block of Tedemory Drive, “regarding a male adult suffering from a mental illness who was refusing to go to a mental hospital,” Deputy Caroline Rodriguez of the sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement. The man had run away from the home by the time police arrived.
A family member followed the man about a mile to the 7900 block of Ocean View Avenue, Rodriguez said. As officers approached, the man tried to jump over a fence leading to a water reservoir.
“Officers used control holds to restrain and handcuff the male,” she said. “A short time later the male became unconscious and the officers began life saving measures until the arrival of paramedics. The male was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.”
No officers were hurt during the incidence. No further details were released.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner will conduct an autopsy.
The investigation is being handled by the sheriff’s department.

Whittier man awaiting sentencing for $16 million wire fraud targeting FIFA Football video game found dead

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Brian Day

WHITTIER >> A 27-year-old man awaiting sentencing for his role in a $16 million wire fraud scheme revolving around the popular FIFA soccer video game was found dead in his home last month of unknown causes, authorities said.
Anthony Jordan Clark was found unresponsive on Feb. 26 at his home in the 14600 block of Montevideo Drive in Whittier, according to Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Assistant Chief of Operation Ed Winter. An autopsy has been conducted, but Clark’s cause of death is yet to be determined pending the results of forensic testing.
He was initially scheduled to be sentenced in federal court the following day, though the sentencing hearing was re-scheduled in mid-February to April 3, federal court records show. He faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, as well as $250,000 in fines and restitution for the fraudulently obtained $16 million.
A federal jury convicted Clark in November of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in November following a three-day trial in the Department of Justice’s Northern District of Texas, where the case was initially filed.
A federal judge granted a motion to dismiss the case against the late convict on March 16, “in the interest of justice,” records show.
His three codefendants had already pleaded guilty in connection with the case, and each face the same potential maximum sentences.
Eaton Svear is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29 in his home state of Virginia. Nicholas Castelluci is to for sentencing April 24 in his home state of New Jersey and Ricky Miller is scheduled to be sentenced May 1 in his home state of Texas.
The men’s scheme centered around “FIFA Coins,” an electronic currency within the FIFA Football video game, produced by California-based Electronic Arts. Gamers use the coins, which are generally earned through gameplay, to make purchases within the game, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Colvin explained.
But players also purchase coins from one another in a secondary marketplace, she said in a written statement.
By hacking into EA’s servers and circumventing security measures, Clark and his crew managed to fraudulently get their hands on more than $16 million worth of the digital, in-game currency.
They created software that tricked EA computers into logging thousands of hours of gameplay within a matter of a seconds, resulting in the awarding of unearned FIFA Coins, Colvin said.

Body found deep in Angeles National Forest north of Azusa

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Brian Day

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Homicide detectives were summoned to investigate after a hiker discovered a body deep in the Angeles National Forest north of Azusa late Friday morning, authorities said.
The remains were found shortly before noon in the vicinity of San Gabriel Canyon Road and Angeles Crest Highway, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Thomas Reid said.
No further details were available as the investigation remained in its early stages.

Man’s body found in Angeles National Forest north of La Canada Flintridge

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Brian Day

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man whose body was discovered deep in the Angeles National Forest north of La Canada Flintridge on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
The body was first discovered about 12:30 p.m. along Angeles Forest Highway, in the vicinity of Big Tujunga Canyon Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
No further details were available.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously online to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Man arrested for trespassing at home where elderly woman was found dead

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Brian Day

ALHAMBRA >> A man found in possession of belongings of an elderly woman found dead outside her Alhambra home on Wednesday has been jailed on suspicion of trespassing as homicide detectives continue their investigation into what happened to her, officials said Thursday.
Moon Cheung, 78, was found dead shortly after 12:40 p.m. outside her apartment in the 1800 block of West Garvey Avenue, Deputy Trina Schrader of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement.
Police had responded to reports of a confrontation between a man and woman when they discovered Cheung unresponsive, Alhambra police officials said.
“(Cheung) sustained blunt force trauma to the upper torso and was pronounce dead at the scene,” Schrader said.
Police were told that man, later identified as 25-year-old Milton Isaias Chavez, had knocked at the door of the victim’s home, where a family member answered, according to sheriff’s officials and county booking records.
“(Chavez) showed the family member that the victim was laying on the ground,” she said. “When the family member exited the residence to assist the victim, the suspect entered the residence, shut the door and locked it. The family member called 9-1-1, and requested assistance.”
Responding officers searched the apartment, but the intruder was gone.
But officers found Chavez, who matched the description of the trespasser, several hours later after a resident called police to report a suspicious person in a shed near the victim’s home, Schrader said.
“Officers found the suspect was in possession of an item belonging to the victim,” the deputy said.
Chavez was booked on suspicion of trespassing as the investigation continued, officials said. His city of residence was not available.
Police announced they were seeking a “person of interest” in connection with the case in the hours immediately after Cheung’s body was found. But officials stopped short of labeling the man a suspect in her death.
According to county booking records, Chavez was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending a scheduled arraignment Friday in the Alhambra branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Detectives from the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are assisting Alhambra police in the investigation. Anyone with information reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

PHOTO by Leo Jarzomb

‘Person of interest’ sought after woman found dead at Alhambra apartment complex

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Brian Day

ALHMABRA >> Detectives are investigating the death of a woman whose body was discovered as police responded to reports of a confrontation between a man and woman at an Alhambra apartment complex in Alhambra on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
Officers were seeking a “person of interest” in connection with the death, but did not described the person a suspect, Alhambra police Crime Prevention Specialist Jessica Cuchilla said.
Officials first received a report of a “confrontation between a male and a female” about 12:42 p.m. at an apartment complex in the 1800 block of West Garvey Avenue, she said.
They arrived to encounter an unresponsive woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Cuchilla said. It was not initially clear whether the body displayed any obvious signs of trauma.
Detectives labeled the incident a “suspicious death” as the investigation remained in its early stages, Cuchilla said.
“There was a person seen at the scene who was no longer there when officers arrived,” she said. Investigators sought the “person of interest” on Wednesday afternoon. No description was available.
Detectives from the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are helping Alhambra police with the investigation. Anyone with information reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Man found dead inside car in La Canada Flintridge identified as missing music video director

Posted on January 7, 2017 by Brian Day

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE >> A man found dead inside a vehicle in a La Canada Flintridge late Friday has been identified as a 40-year-old music video director and producer from Los Angeles who disappeared a week ago, officials said Saturday.
The body of Travis Joel Peterson was discovered about 7:25 p.m. Friday inside a car parked in a parking lot of a shopping center along the 900 block of Foothill Boulevard, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Lt. David Smith said.
He was reported missing by family after vanishing on Dec. 30, Los Angeles police officials said in a written statement.
“Peterson was last seen on December 30, 2016, in the 1500 block of Foothill Boulevard, in the City La Canada Flintridge,” according to the statement. He had reportedly stopped at a gas station to buy a bottle of water. He was not seen or heard from again until his body was discovered.
Peterson’s cause of death was yet to be determined through a autopsy, Smith said.
But investigators did not note any overt signs of foul play at the scene, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Daniel Stanley said.
L.A. Weekly described Peterson as the “go-to music video director for L.A.’s indie rock scene,” having worked with artists including Glass Candy, Nite Jewel, Ariel Pink, Nedelle Torrisi, Julia Holter and Seth Bogart.
Once Peterson was found dead in La Canada Flintridge, the LAPD missing person’s case became a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau investigation.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

PHOTO: Travis Joel Peterson, 40, of Los Angeles. (Courtesy, LAPD)

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