Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - The Covina Police Department is asking for assistance in identifying the person or persons responsible for possibly murdering a man found dead on a service road April 11.

Although the County coroner does not yet list a cause of death for 25-year-old Daniel Diaz, Covina Police Det. Manuel Esquivel said injuries on the body were consistent with an assault.

Officers were called to a report of a “man down” near 427 S. Barranca Ave. at 2:52 p.m. Diaz was found unresponsive and Los Angeles County firefighters would soon declare Diaz dead at the scene,  Esquivel said.

“Diaz’s appearance was disheveled. He had injuries consistent with being assaulted and it appeared he was placed on the service road,” Esquivel said in a statement.

It is believed Diaz was assaulted and later died at a currently-unknown location.

Diaz was transient and was known to frequent the area of Grand Avenue and the I-10 freeway in West Covina.

Anyone with information that can aid the investigation is urged to call Esquivel at 626-384-5621. Provide information anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

POMONA – The alleged gunman in a June 3 murder and the man accused of hiding him from justice are due back in court June 30.

Luis Alberto Gonzalez-Frausto, 38, was charged June 7 with one count of murder in the death of Adrian Gonzalez-Frausto. Edgar Martinez, 28, was charged June 7 with one count of being an accessory after the fact for allegedly knowingly harboring, concealing, or aiding a felon, according to Los Angeles Superior Court documents.

Adrian, 38, died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Investigators determined the shooting happened at La Tiendita JNK Market, 1459 N. Hollenbeck Ave. after a person detained for questioning allegedly lied that the shooting occurred at a public park, according to the Covina Police Department.

Adrian was driven to Kindred Hospital, 845 N. Lark Ellen Ave., in West Covina shortly after the shooting. Officers responded to the scene around 4:40 p.m. Adrian died soon after.

One day after the murder, Luis was arrested at the Covina Police Department and booked on suspicion of murder.

Luis is being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic in lieu of $3 million bail. Martinez is also being held in the same facility in lieu of $2 million bail. Both men await arraignment in Pomona Superior Court, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A man was killed after his SUV struck a tree planted in a center median.

First responders were sent to East Badillo Street at North Banna Avenue around 7:35 p.m. The driver, the only person in the SUV, was unresponsive. Los Angeles County Firefighters declared the driver dead at the scene, according to Lt. Antonio Zavala of the Covina Police Department.

Covina police traffic investigators are on scene conducting an investigation. Zavala was not yet sure if intoxicated driving played a factor. He didn’t know that Speed likely contributed to the fatal crash.

Witnesses at the scene told officers that the SUV was being driven westbound on Badillo at the time of the crash, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

Traffic on Badillo Street is blocked between Banna Avenue and Glendora Avenue.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Six people were taking to two trauma centers early Sunday morning after two vehicles collided in a head-on collision, authorities said.

Firefighters were dispatched just after 1:30 a.m. June 12 to the intersection of Barranca Avenue and Cypress Street, according to Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

One vehicle was southbound on Barranca Avenue, the other was northbound when the collision occurred, according to Sgt. Derek Gonzales of the Covina Police Department.

Gonzales did not yet know if alcohol, drugs, or distracted driving were factors in the crash.

Gonzales described some of the injured as being small children, but he did not have exact ages for all those who were hospitalized.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Police announced the arrest of a man investigators pegged as the gunman in a convenience store shooting.

The still-unidentified victim of the shooting turned up at Kindred Hospital, 845 N. Lark Ellen Ave., around 4:40 p.m. in West Covina just after the shooting happened June 3. A man who drove the victim to the hospital was uncooperative, only stating the shooting happened at a park. The victim soon died from his injuries, according to the Covina Police Department.

Investigators determined the shooting happened at La Tiendita JNK Market, 1459 N. Hollenbeck Ave.

Two unidentified people were arrested.

One day after the shooting, Luis Gonzalez, a 38-year-old West Covina man, was arrested at the Covina Police Department and booked on suspicion of murder.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call Covina Police Detective Preciado at 626-384-5622, reference case 22-15083. Leave an anonymous tip by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA – A West Covina man was arrested May 25, identified as the suspect who threatened a video game store employee with a knife and stole cash and gaming consoles.

London Paige Leones, 22, was booked on suspicion of robbery. The crime took place around 2:09 p.m. at 1Up Video Games, 111 N. Citrus Ave. May 15, according to the Covina Police Department.

“The suspect … held a knife up to a store employee and demanded money. Fearing for his life, the employee complied and Leones took approximately $450 from the cash register, as well as a Playstation 5, and two Gameboy Advances,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

A search warrant served at Leones’ West Covina home reportedly revealed the stolen gaming devices, weapon and clothing related to the crime, according to the Covina Police Department.

Leones was released on bond. He is scheduled to appear in the West Covina courthouse Thursday, June 9.