LAPD Criminal Gang Homicide Detectives Make Two Major Arrests Suspects Arrested in the Leonard Samuel and Keith Moore Murder Cases NR09451gb

Los Angeles: At a news conference this afternoon, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) 77th Division Criminal Gang Homicide Group detectives announced the arrest of three suspects for the recent murders of 22-year-old Leonard Samuel and 20-year-old Keith Moore.  

On August 22, 2009, at about 8:10 p.m., 22-year-old Leonard Samuel exited a liquor store in the 1700 block of West Century Boulevard and was walking to his car in the parking lot.  The suspect approached Samuel as he was about to enter his vehicle and pointed a handgun at him and fired several bullets, striking Samuel multiple times as he attempted to flee from the gunman.  Samuel ran to a nearby fast food store where he collapsed.  He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Detectives from the LAPD Criminal Gang Homicide Group were assigned to investigate the murder.  The detectives worked an exhaustive investigation and were able to identify 38-year-old Joseph Carrington, a resident of Inglewood, as the murder suspect.  Carrington was arrested on Tuesday, September 10, 2009, as he was driving home.  On Monday, September 14, 2009, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed one count of murder and the bail was set at $2 million.
 
On Tuesday, September 5, 2009, at around 2:35 p.m., victim Keith Moore, 20 years old, a resident of Los Angeles, was riding a bicycle near his home when two suspects in a car began to chase Moore.  One of the suspects exited the car and fired several rounds from a handgun at Moore, striking him multiple times. Moore fell to the ground.  He was transported to a local hospital and died from his injuries.

Again, detectives from the LAPD Criminal Gang and Homicide Group were assigned to investigate Moore’s murder. Acting on a variety of tips and leads, police developed critical information about the suspect’s description and the vehicle information.  Officers from the LAPD Metropolitan Division, assigned to the Southeast Regional Multi-Agency Task Force, recently formed by Chief Bratton to combat an increase in shootings and murders in the vicinity, located the suspects within a few hours of the murder and arrested them.

On September 9, 2009, the case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office where one count of murder was filed on 23-year-old Ronnie Onley and one count of murder was also filed on 27-year-old Jason Wilder. Their bail was set at $2 million each.

Anyone with additional information regarding these cases is asked to call the LAPD Criminal Gang Homicide Group at 213-485-4341.  During off-hours, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247).  Callers may also text "Crimes" with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips.  When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with "LAPD."  Tipsters may remain anonymous.