Detectives Investigating Fatal Neighbor Dispute NR14481pv

Arleta:  A 37-year-old man is dead and his 22-year-old next-door neighbor has been detained, after an early morning brawl that turned into a fatal stabbing.

On December 21, 2014, around 4:00 a.m., neighbors heard loud noises on the street near
Beachy Avenue and Tonopah Street.  “One description was that someone was doing donuts in the street, screeching tires,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, Commanding Officer of the Mission Detective Division, “but no one called police right away.”    The victim, and another neighbor across the street, heard the raucous driving and stepped out of their respective houses to investigate, only to be confronted by the driver and passenger of the car.  The car’s owner, also a neighbor, was sitting in the backseat of the car, a silver Honda Accord.  The car’s driver was armed with a knife.  He and the two passengers started beating the 36-year-old neighbor in the street, until the other neighbor appeared to help the man.  At least two of the assailants turned their attack on this second neighbor, who retreated into his home.

The attackers then turned their attention back to the original victim, whom they stabbed multiple times.  Two suspects left in the car, leaving behind the car’s owner.  Arriving police officers detained that man in his home.

The victim was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.  His name will be released at a later time.

“We have yet to identify the two outstanding suspects, apparently friends of the man we detained,” Lt. Vernon said.  “We’ll get to the bottom of it soon, but in the meantime, if anyone has information about this incident we’d like them to call.”

Both suspects appeared to be Hispanic and in their 20s, one tall with a beard, wearing a hat, and armed with a gun.  The other was shorter and armed with a knife.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Det. Gene Parshall, Mission Homicide Unit, at (818) 838-9954.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).   Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.