Via the AV Press, a story by Veronica Rocha
Of the 40 people who were shot to death, beaten to death, fatally stabbed or run over and killed by hit-and-run drivers last year in the Antelope Valley, fewer than half of their killers have been identified, a Valley Press investigation shows.
For the 40 homicides, 10 suspects have been charged with murder, three are dead and two are in prison for other charges. Authorities say several more homicide suspects are in custody on other charges while investigators collect enough evidence to charge them with murder.
"In homicide investigations, we have solved cases, unsolved cases and solved cases with prosecution," said Sgt. Edward Godfrey of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau. "Our work is never done."
In 2006, Lancaster had 20 homicides, including an unsolved hit-and-run death and the death of a man from a stabbing a year earlier, and Palmdale had 16. Other murders occurred in Rosamond, Llano and Littlerock.
The Valley's record for homicides is 43, set in 2003. In 2005, 29 people were murdered. So far this year, at least six people have been murdered in Lake Los Angeles, Lancaster, Palmdale and Tehachapi.
Of the 2006 homicides, 28 people were killed by guns, three by stabbing, six by beating and two in unsolved hit-and-runs. Two of the deaths occurred inside California State Prison Los Angeles County in Lancaster. There was one murder-suicide.
Lancaster had more gang-related homicides than in 2003, the Valley's record murder year overall, said Capt. Carl Deeley of the Lancaster Sheriff's Station.
"It's unfortunate when anybody is killed, but when someone hangs out with a certain group or is engaged in certain activity, their life expectancy lowers," Deeley said.
When a murder - a "187" in law enforcement jargon and California criminal law - occurs within Lancaster Sheriff's Station jurisdiction, deputies who are the first to arrive at the crime scene often keep track of the homicides on a list that is written on a board at the station, Deeley said. Homicides are investigated by detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau rather than detectives from the local station.
"The deputies like to get closure, so they keep a list of the murder they responded to," Deeley said.
Last year in the Sheriff's Department jurisdiction countywide, a person was murdered on average every 21 hours, meaning that the homicide bureau usually gets a new case every day.
For homicide detectives, the initial 48 hours after a murder are a rush to get information, Godfrey said.
Getting witnesses to talk about a crime, specifically gang-related homicides, can be challenging, hey said.
"I rely on factual evidence and people talking to me," Godfrey said. "Some witnesses don't want to talk because they think it's ratting on a gang."
Detectives must study the facts about a murder and use lab work, he said.
"It's a tedious process, going through information and sorting through things," he said.
Detectives sometimes offer rewards to encourage the public to come forward with information.
Rewards ranging from $2,000 to $50,000 were offered last year for six Antelope Valley murders. The largest reward was related to the slaying of plastic surgeon Dr. Esfandiar Kadivar, 64, who was shot to death while feeding livestock at his ranch on 120th Street West in Lancaster.
Antelope Valley homicides averaged a little over three a month last year, but they came in clusters.
Last year, two Palmdale homicides occurred in a span of six of hours on Jan. 20. Raymond Orozco, 29, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run vehicle while riding his bike on Second Street East. Carlos Ramirez, 25, was shot to death while riding in a vehicle on the Antelope Valley Freeway.
In December, seven people were murdered. Five of those homicides were in Lancaster within a seven-day period.
In the six homicides since Jan. 1 of this year, three suspects have been arrested.
Kenneth Finnell, 29, was arrested in Tucson, Ariz., on suspicion of murdering Everett Haydale, 28, who was shot to death Feb. 9 at a house in the 16800 block of Valeport Avenue in Lake Los Angeles. Finnell is the ex-boyfriend of Haydale's girlfriend, authorities said.
Judie Jones, 54, and her 17-year-old son were arrested in connection with the murder of her nephew, Larry Jason Lee, 35, who was stabbed to death in a trailer at the Four Season Trailer Park in the 200 block of West J Street in Tehachapi.
The four other 2007 homicides:
Jasir Ayuso, 25, was found stabbed to death Jan. 1 in his home in the 39100 block of 164th Street East in Lake Los Angeles.
Fred Luna, 50, was found shot to death Feb. 12 in his home in the 1200 block of East Avenue Q in Palmdale.
Leon Huddleston, a homeless man, was beaten with a pool cue in a Valentine's Day fight at a Lancaster bar and died eight days later. A $10,000 reward has been offered for information on his assailant.
Derel Thomas Smith, 22, was shot to death March 18 while twirling a real estate sign at the corner of 45th Street West and Avenue K.