64 Year Old Man Discovered Dead in Backyard, Daughter and Grandson

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, January 10, 2000
On Friday, January 7, 2000 at approximately 9:30 a.m., Southeast Area Homicide Detectives received information from an anonymous caller stating that the body of an older male was buried in a rear yard of a residence in the 8900 block of S. Menlo Avenue.

Detectives located a Missing Persons Report taken on January 4, 2000 for 64-year-old Mr. James Edwards, who resided at the residence. A follow-up investigation was conducted at that location and family and neighbors were interviewed regarding the whereabouts of Mr. Edwards. Based on the information received from the subsequent interviews, Detectives requested the assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, K-9 Search and Rescue who responded to the scene. The search dogs alerted on an area in the rear yard of the victim’s residence and exposed what appeared to be human remains. A search warrant was secured and served at that location and other family members at a nearby residence. The search revealed the discovery of the victim; Mr. James Edwards who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound, and was wrapped in a blanket buried in a shallow grave on his property. Interviews with the victim’s daughter, Allicia Phillips, and grandson, Lamar Jackson, yielded the recovery of the possible murder weapon, a small caliber handgun. Phillips and Jackson were arrested for the murder of Mr. Edwards. The case will be presented to the District Attorneys office for filing consideration on Tuesday, January 11, 2000.

Detectives are urging anyone that may have information regarding this crime contact Southeast Homicide, at 213-485-6902 or 323-789-1495.

For Release 12:35 pm PST
January 10, 2000