Murder and Homicide

Christopher Dorner Gets No-Bail Warrant, Death-Penalty Eligible Murder Charges

Christopher Dorner is officially a man with a no-bail murder warrant over his head. That after the Riverside County District Attorney's office today charged him with murder and attempted murder following his alleged fatal ambush of a Riverside cop and shootings involving that officer's partner and ... More >>

Errol Morris Chat With Us About the Jeffrey MacDonald Murder Case -- Before Joe McGinnis Gets the Last Word

See also: *Best L.A. Novel Ever: The Tournament Film director Errol Morris is, as they say in Hollywood, bankable. He's made some of the best, most critically acclaimed documentaries of the last 25 years, including The Thin Blue Line, in which Morris proved that a convicted Texas cop killer was inn ... More >>

Friends Wrongfully Imprisoned for Nearly Two Decades — Until the Innocence Project Won Their Freedom

Imprisoned nearly two decades for murder, it took another brutal slaying to free them

Guilty Verdict in Beverly Hills Murder Trial

Beverly Hills Murder Trial: Scott Barker Found Guilty of Murdering Tony Takazato

For the in-depth story about the Beverly Hills murder, read the L.A. Weekly story "Did Scott Barker Knife Rich Kid Tony Takazato to Save His Girlfriend From Prostitution?" On Tuesday, October 2, in less than a day of deliberating, the 12-member jury agreed on a verdict: Scott Joseph Barker, a 25-ye ... More >>

Woman Found Dead Near Downtown L.A.; Latest in String of Female Bodies on Eastside?

L.A.'s Eastside and nearby neighborhoods have now seen four murders involving female victims, murders that have gone unsolved in the last two years. The LAPD has debunked community rumors that there's a serial killer on the loose, saying there are no links. (One case we've noted is in the neighbori ... More >>

Anthony Wayne Smith, Former Raider, Serial Killer?

Former Oakland Raiders defensive lineman Anthony Wayne Smith has been with charged with three unsolved murders, the LAPD announced today. That makes the number of killings he's accused of committing four: He's currently being retried in the 2008 homicide of Lancaster mechanic Maurilio Ponce. Doe ... More >>

Bryan Barnes, Javier Bolden Catch Possible Death Penalty Case in USC Murders

Bryan Barnes, 20, and Javier Bolden, 19, were charged today with capital murder in connection with the shooting deaths of USC students Ming Qu and Ying Wu on the early rainy morning of April 11. The slayings, about a mile from campus, shocked the school and inspired the students' parents to sue USC ... More >>

Cop's Book Says Sean Combs, Suge Knight Ordered Tupac and Biggie Killings

Top detective on rap murders says LAPD pulled the plug despite confessions

Jose Vera-Eugenio, L.A. Homicide No. 16: 21-Year-Old Man Murdered in South L.A. While Sitting in Car

Google MapsThe street where Jose Vera-Eugenio was killed​By Ryan Deto A Latino man shot dead on January 17 was later identified as 21-year-old Jose Vera-Eugenio. Coroner's records show the victim sustained multiple gunshots to the head and torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the cri ... More >>

Study Shows More Kids are Murdered in L.A. County Than Anywhere in California, but Only Because We Have More People

​Despite being home to the greatest number of 10- to 24-year-olds murdered in California, Los Angeles County actually ranked No. 6 in the state for the highest youth murder rate per capita in 2009, according to a report released Monday. The study, "Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2009 ... More >>

Lamorris Ester, L.A. Homicide No. 198: Mid-30s Man Gunned Down In Inglewood

Google Maps​A black man in his mid-30s was fatally shot at around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 2. According to LAPD's Southeast Homicide Division, Lamorris Ester was rumored to be inside his vehicle, which was parked outside 325 West 89th Street, when he was hit.

Raul Vergara, L.A. Homicide No. 199: Man Shot Dead Near Exposition Park

Google Maps​A Latino man fatally shot on Wednesday, September 29, has been identified as Raul Vergara. The shooting occurred near the corner of West Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and South Hoover Street, according to the LAPD's Southwest Homicide Division.

Immigrants' Rights Group Calls For Murder Prosecution Of Frank Hernandez, LAPD Cop Who Fatally Shot Manuel Jamines

​A Los Angeles-based immigrants' rights group called on Tuesday for the Los Angeles police officer who fatally shot immigrant Manuel Jamines earlier this month to be prosecuted for alleged murder. The Southern California Immigration Coalition was scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday aft ... More >>

Three Fatally Shot In West Hollywood

​Three men were fatally shot in West Hollywood Thursday night, according to KNX 1070 Newsradio. The shooting was reported at 9:18 p.m. on Kings Road near Melrose Avenue, a sheriff's official told the station. The men were pronounced dead at the scene he said. Homicide detectives were en route ... More >>

Grim Sleeper Suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr. Pleads Not Guilty

Lonnie David Franklin Jr.​The suspected Grim Sleeper serial killer pleaded not guilty this morning to the murders of 10 women and the attempted murder of another. Lonnie David Franklin Jr., a car mechanic with a long history of car theft, is charged with 10 counts of murder and one count of at ... More >>

Memorial Service Held for Grim Sleeper Serial Killer Victims

Victim Janecia Peters' family attend memorial service in South L.A.​Over 100 people, including family members and Los Angeles Police Department detectives, attended a memorial service last night for the 10 victims of the Grim Sleeper serial killer. The two-hour service also marked the 25th ann ... More >>

Grim Sleeper Probe Expands To Determine If Suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr. Can Be Connected To Unsolved Murders

LAPDLonnie Franklin Jr.​Los Angeles police on Thursday said detectives were looking into several unsolved homicides -- all with women as the victims -- to see if they might be connected to the Grim Sleeper serial murder case. Lonnie Franklin Jr. was arrested at his home in South Los Angeles W ... More >>

Betty McClellan, LA Homicide No. 137: 62-year-old Woman Fatally Shot by Husband Who Then Shoots Himself

Google Maps​ Betty Ann McClellan, 62, was fatally shot in the 4000 block of W. 59th Place by her husband, 63-year-old Hersey McClellan on Sunday, June 20, who then fatally shot himself. Both victims were found with gun shot wounds to the head. The victim's son found his parents around 9:15 a. ... More >>

Olga Martinez, L.A. Homicide No. 94: Woman Found Stabbed to Death in Pacoima

A woman was found stabbed to death in Pacoima May 1. According to the Los Angeles Department of Coroner, Olga Martinez, 33, died from stab wounds to the neck, chest and back.

Man Charged In Valley Village Blood Bath

Google MapsThe Hot Spot eatery.​Nerses Galstyan was charged Thursday on suspicion of murdering four people earlier this month at a Valley Village restaurant, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. Mayhem, attempted murder and a gun charge were also filed against the su ... More >>

Darlene Robles, L.A. Homicide No. 82: Video Surveillance Captures Hospital Body Dump

Los Angeles Police Department detectives are asking for the public's help in identifying two males and a female suspect who dropped off 17-year-old shooting victim Darlene Robles at a hospital emergency room shortly before she died April 6. Van Nuys homicide detectives just released video footage ... More >>

L.A. City Homicides Up 2.5 Percent So Far In 2010

crimesceneresources.com​The Los Angeles Police Department's most-recent crime statistics reveal a 2.5 percent increase in murders compared to the same time last year. The latest "compstat" report states that there were 83 homicides in the city through April 10. For the same time frame last yea ... More >>

Karine Hakobyan, L.A. Homicide No. 60: Hollywood Woman Found Shot to Death in Car

Los Angeles police Robbery-Homicide detectives today were investigating the murder of a 38-year-old Hollywood woman, whose shooting death is possibly linked to a 2008 double homicide. View Larger Map Karine Hakobyan was found dead behind the wheel of her Honda CRV with a gunshot wound to the back ... More >>

Rodney Alcala's Final Revenge

Begged to spare victims' families at trial, the alleged serial killer ratchets up the suffering

Lily Burk's Alleged Killer Charged with New Felony Counts at Preliminary Hearing

A parolee who is accused of kidnapping and killing a 17-year-old Los Feliz teen was charged today with two new felony counts at a preliminary hearing in downtown Los Angeles. ​ Los Angeles County prosecutors charged 50-year-old Charlie Samuel with one felony count each of carjacking and kid ... More >>

Rodney Alcala: The Fine Art of Killing

One man’s murderous romp through polite society

Lily Burk's Alleged Killer Makes First Court Appearance

The 50-year-old parolee who is accused of killing 17-year-old Lily Burk made his first court appearance in the Los Angeles Criminal court building this afternoon. However, Charlie Samuel didn't enter a plea. His arraignment was rescheduled for August 20. He remains in custody without bail.The Distri ... More >>

Fingerprints Link Parolee to Murder of Lily Burk, 17

The Los Angeles Police Department held a packed, late-morning press conference today, one day after they arrested a former convict who had been on parole since last August. Charlie Samuel, 50, has been charged with the murder of Lily Burk, 17. Detectives received confirmation Saturday that latent fi ... More >>

Third Suspect Arrested in Deputy Slaying

The Los Angeles Police Department has arrested a third suspect in the shooting death of an L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy. A fourth man remains at large. "We will bring all those responsible for the murders to justice," said Police Chief William Bratton at a 1 p.m. press conference at Parker Center, ... More >>

Drew Street Drug House Demolished

Creepily, some neighbors miss the gang’s terror, a Neighborhood Watch of sorts

A Pasadena Author Researching Jogging Trails Cracks an Old Serial-Killer Case

Weston Dewalt's amazing year

LAPD Asks for Public’s Help in Solving Grim Sleeper Murders

Los Angeles Police Department detectives held a press conference today asking for the public’s help in finding a serial killer believed to be responsible for at least 11 murders in South Los Angeles over a 23-year span. Dubbed the Grim Sleeper by the LA Weekly, which broke the news that he is sti ... More >>

Grim Sleeper Returns: He's Murdering Angelenos, as Cops Hunt his DNA

The most elusive serial killer west of the Mississippi took a 13-year break. Now he's back

Officer Involved Shootings Reach 27 this Year

With Monday's fatal shooting of postal worker Kevin Wicks by an Inglewood police officer the number of deaths this year at the hands of law enforcement in Los Angeles County has hit 27, according to the LA County Coroner. That means roughly four deaths a month involving police officers. The startl ... More >>

Los Angeles District Attorney Opposes “Compassionate Release” for Charles Manson Follower Susan Atkins

The state Board of Parole Hearings will decide today whether they will grant Charles Manson follower and convicted murderer Susan Atkins “compassionate release.” Atkins, 60, reportedly has terminal brain cancer and her bid for “compassionate release” will be one of two cases considered as ... More >>

Coroner Chronicles: Homicides Down

It sure seems like there has been an awful lot of murders in Los Angeles County since January. Every time I look at the newspaper or check out the nightly TV news, someone has been gunned down in a drive by shooting, stabbed to death in an alley, or set on fire. In April, there were at least four ... More >>

The Fuhrman Factor

Thirteen years later former LAPD detective is still haunted by one that got away. Was justice in the Dawn Gamez murder case another casualty of the O.J. Simpson debacle?

Silent Wraith: Chester Turner

By slaying troubled black women, LA's worst serial killer operated invisibly for years

They See Dead People

For 1,000 murder victims, a new LAPD cold-case unit finally seeks justice

The End Of Murder

If New York can slash homicide by 76 percent, can Los Angeles contemplate a vanishing point?

Murder On the Last Turn

Mickey Thompson was a renowned race-car driver and promoter. Mike Goodwin was the brash, egocentric creator of motocross. They became business partners. Then all hell broke loose.

''They Wanted All Blacks Out''

Federal trial exposes the Avenues of hate

The Sex Murder Files

A serial killer may be stalking L.A.�s prostitutes

Avenues of Death

How Highland Park�s Latino gang targets African-Americans

These Are the People Who Died

2004 flier-party body count

Infamy and Fortune

L.A. man who got a $290,000 Rampart settlement arrested on a murder charge

L.A. County's 10

Death-row inmates and mental retardation

The L.A. 53