WHITTIER, Calif.—Authorities on Aug. 30 sought the public’s help to find a man who allegedly attacked two men in the Whittier area, fatally stabbing one of them, and then fled in the homicide victim’s vehicle, which was recovered in Chino.
The body of the homicide victim was found around 3:15 p.m. on Aug. 29 in a house in the 15000 block of Goodhue Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities withheld his name, pending notification of his relatives.
At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Sheriff Robert Luna displayed security video indicating the suspect had entered the fatally injured man’s residence about 2:45 p.m. on Aug. 28.
Mr. Luna said the suspect fled a couple of minutes later in the victim’s vehicle—a silver Toyota RAV4, license number VPH289—which has since been recovered in the city of Chino.
“Based on the surveillance video, we believe the murder occurred on Aug. 28 at approximately 2:45 p.m.,” Mr. Luna said.
Mr. Luna said security images showed the victim’s vehicle being driven in Ontario around 3 a.m. Tuesday, and also showed it parked in Chino about three hours later.
“We believe the suspect has been driving around in this vehicle for at least a day—maybe a night—and if anybody saw this vehicle anywhere between the area of Whittier, all the way out to the area of, potentially, Chino or Ontario, please notify our homicide detectives immediately,” the sheriff said.
The suspect was described as a man with a dark complexion, possibly in his 30s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds, with short hair. The man, who may be homeless, wore dark pants and a tan shirt, Mr. Luna said.
Detectives believe the suspect also assaulted an “elderly” man in the 15500 block of Fairview Street in the city of Whittier, a few blocks away from the homicide victim’s home and a few minutes before the homicide, but he fled when that victim’s son intervened in that attack, Mr. Luna said.
Mr. Luna urged anyone with information on the case to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
