Updated at the bottom with today's City Council vote. First posted at 1:32 p.m. Thursday.

The shocking case of a man stabbed to death in Venice will get a $50,000 reward to motivate any possible witnesses to come forward.

See also: Guillermo Perez, Restaurant Cook, Fatally Stabbed in Venice.

The office of Westside L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin today announced that he'll propose the reward at the body's meeting tomorrow. (Such measures are rarely, if ever, voted down):

Guillermo Perez was a line cook at Mercedes Grille near the beach on Washington Boulevard, a manager there told us. He just left work when someone stabbed him in the chest about 12:15 a.m. Monday, cops said.

Reports indicated he might have stopped at a nearby liquor store for beer before walking to his nearby home.

Officers on patrol in the area were flagged down by someone who spotted Perez in the street. The Mercedes Grille manager said that people on the bustling street might have passed him by believing he was a homeless drunk and crashed out on the pavement.

Paramedics took Perez to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The attack shocked the community in what is arguably the lowest-crime section of Venice — the community's southwest side.


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The L.A. County Department of Coroner today completed its autopsy on the man investigators there are calling Guillermo Carmona-Perez, a lieutenant told us. He confirmed Perez died as the result of a “stab wound to the chest.”

Toxicology tests were being performed as a matter of routine, he said, but at this point coroner's investigators don't believe drugs or alcohol had anything to do with it.

LAPD homicide detectives were in the field today working the case, a police investigator told us.

Usually the issuance of rewards indicates that cops have few leads. Here's what Councilman Bonin had to say:

Guillermo's murder is a disturbing and horrific crime and a tragedy for his family, friends and the entire Venice community. Our neighborhoods will be safer once the person or people responsible for this crime are off the streets, and this reward will hopefully help the LAPD as we seek justice for Guillermo.

If you have info about the attack and want a shot at that money, call (310) 382-9470.

[Update at 2:18 p.m. Friday]: The L.A. City Council today voted unanimously to establish the reward.

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