Written by AARON CASTREJON 
CityWatch Editor 

AZUSA - Investigators named the man who was found dead inside an out-of-service police vehicle parked outside the Azusa Police Department.

The man was identified Friday as Eric Valencia, 37. His cause of death has been deferred, pending additional investigation, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.

Valencia was discovered around 4:51 a.m. March 26 in the back seat of the vehicle.

The patrol vehicle was left unlocked and parked outside the Azusa Police Station as it was scheduled for maintenance, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Valencia was arrested Friday, March 20 at 10:09 p.m. He was held until his release Monday, March 23 at 12:38 p.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records.

His arrest was considered a detention only. He was originally arrested and booked on suspicion of driving under the influence and child endangerment.

“Azusa Police personnel were not aware that the individual had entered the vehicle, and he was not in the custody of the Azusa Police Department at the time he gained access,” according to Azusa Police Chief Rocky Wenrick in a written statement.

Wenrick noted that the patrol vehicle was unlocked, but should have been secured.

Investigative firm JL Group has been hired for an independent review of the death, which would include why the vehicle was not secured, Wenrick said.

The Azusa Police Detective Bureau is conducting the initial criminal investigation, while the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Justice System Integrity Division, has been notified and will receive full access to all evidence, security camera footage, and investigative reports, Wenrick said.

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The death record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Information about the decedent(s), including cause and manner of death, is public record and was distributed by government sources.

Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor 

AZUSA - A police vehicle parked outside the Azusa Police Department was the focus of an investigation after a man was found dead inside Thursday.

The dead man was discovered inside the vehicle around 4:51 a.m. March 26. Life-saving measures were implemented, but the man was declared dead, according to the Azusa Police Department.

“The vehicle was pending mandatory maintenance and was not in active use by department personnel at the time of discovery,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

It is unclear how long the man was dead before being discovered inside. He was declared dead at 4:59 a.m.

The police station is located at 725 N. Alameda Ave.

The county medical examiner will determine cause and manner of death.

The Azusa Police Department Detective Bureau is also investigating. 

The investigation will be submitted to the Justice System Integrity Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for review, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call Azusa Police Detective Lieutenant Steve Sears at 626-812-3200.

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Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A known domestic violence suspect was taken into custody after attempting to flee from Police Tuesday morning.

Officers attempted to arrest the suspect in the area of Foothill Boulevard and North Cerritos Avenue just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 17. The suspect ran from officer towards Charles H. Lee Elementary School, 550 N. Cerritos Ave., according to the Azusa Police Department.

“Due to the close proximity of the high-risk arrest, Azusa Police officers requested that Lee Elementary School be placed on lockdown,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

The suspect was arrested within minutes. The lockdown was done out of an abundance of caution, according to the Azusa Police Department.

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Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - A 63-year-old man is facing a murder charge in the violent 30-year-old killing of a woman whose nude body was found in the Azusa foothills.

Brian Walton was arrested February 5 by detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. He was officially charged in court with one charge of murder with the special circumstances allegations of murder during the commission of a rape and murder during the commission of sodomy, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Claudia Guevara, 23, went missing February 20, 1996 after her brother, who she was living with in Temple City, said she did not come home. She had been dropped off at a bus stop in El Monte by two co-workers and was never seen again, according to the DA’s office.

Guevara’s naked body was found the next day, tossed in a drainage ditch along Encanto Parkway. She was stabbed in the neck. Forensics investigators determined she was sexually assaulted, according to the DA’s office.

Guevara and Walton apparently did not know each other. DNA evidence links Walton to the assault and murder, according to the DA’s office.

“The victim’s family has waited for an agonizing 30 years to get that call to let them know their loved one’s killer had been found and charged,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said.

If convicted as charged, Walton faces life in prison without the possibility of parole or death. A decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date, according to the DA’s office.

Walton was arraigned February 9 in the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. He is scheduled to appear in court again March 18.

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The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent.


The death record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Information about the decedent(s), including cause and manner of death, is public record and was distributed by government sources.


Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A large quantity of industrial copper wire was stolen last month, but has since recovered and a suspect was arrested, the Azusa Police Department announced.

The large industrial spools of copper wire were taken from an Azusa city yard over night during a three-day period in December, according to Detective Sgt. Steven Spahr of the Azusa Police Department.

The copper wire is valued at $24,000.

Detectives conducted multi-night surveillance operations and served search warrants at multiple locations outside Azusa.

The suspect, who is not an Azusa resident, was found and arrested in the city. Spahr declined to name the suspect at this time as the investigation continues to uncover new leads and to possibly additional arrests.

The spools of copper were taken during after hours. Spahr declined to specify how access was made to obtain the wire.

Anyone with information on this theft is urged to call the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

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Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A man is recovering from injuries considered not life-threatening after being shot in the San Gabriel riverbed December 31.

First responders were sent to the riverbed at what is described as spillway 9 near the 1000 block of West Sierra Madre Avenue around 5:38 a.m. The victim suffered a single gunshot wound, according to the Azusa Police Department.

“Officers immediately rendered medical aid until Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived on scene,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

“Officers immediately rendered medical aid until Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived on scene,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Azusa Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-812-3200.

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Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A man was found dead inside a motel room Sunday afternoon.

The cause has not been determined yet, but investigators believe nothing suspicious led to the man’s death, according to the Azusa Police Department.

First responders were sent to the Super 8 by Wyndham, 117 N. Azusa Ave., around 2 p.m. November 2.

It is not immediately clear how long the man, identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner as 48-year-old Walnut Creek resident Pavle Males, was in the room before being discovered.

The cause of death has been deferred, pending additional investigation.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department called in their Health Hazmat unit to the scene and spent several hours on site while police and medical examiner investigators worked as well.

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The death record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Information about the decedent(s), including cause and manner of death, is public record and was distributed by government sources.


Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A small brush fire was extinguished quickly by Los Angeles County and U.S. Forest Service firefighters Thursday.

The fire was reported in the San Gabriel River closest to Mirardor Drive and North San Gabriel Canyon Road around 10:43 a.m. October 30.

The blaze was contained to about one-quarter of an acre, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The fire was not deemed arson, but evidence suggested it was connected to a transient camp, according to the Azusa Police Department.

A person was detained near the source of the fire and was arrested, but for narcotics-related crimes, according to the Azusa Police Department.

A smaller fire was reported around 6:40 a.m. the same day in the river bed further west from the second blaze.

The smaller fire was likely a warming fire ignited by a transient, a Los Angeles County Fire Captain told the Azusa Police Department.

No structure damage was reported.

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Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office officially filed charges regarding an altercation and stabbing at a carnival almost one week ago.

Paul Holguin, 45, was charged with one count of attempted murder. He was additionally charged with the special allegation of one or more serious violent felony convictions, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Raymond Escobedo, 21, was charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact.

The altercation and stabbing at the carnival, which took place and Memorial Park, 340 N. Orange Ave. The incident was likely gang-related.

READ THE ORIGINAL STORY>>

Holguin was arraigned October 21. He is being held in the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles in lieu of more than $1 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in West Covina Superior Court November 7, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Escobedo was issued a citation and released.

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The arrest records in this article are being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and are protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The persons named in this article have only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and are presumed innocent.


Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Two suspects were arrested after a reported gang tussle led to a stabbing October 18.

The incident unfolded at the Azusa Golden Days Festival held at Memorial Park, 320 N. Orange Pl. around. 7:30 p.m. Police intervened in the fight between three people. One other three suffered stab wounds, according to the Azusa Police Department.

“The other two subjects involved in the fight were arrested for various charges. A knife was located on one of the detained suspects,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

The suspect names were not immediately released. The status of the stabbing was not immediately available.


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Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization.