LOS ANGELES - The cause of death and the name of the woman found in the San Gabriel Riverbed February 20 in Irwindale were released recently.

Heather Marvets, 37, was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Marvets died from puncture wounds. Her death is listed as a homicide.

Irwindale officers were sent to investigate a medical call in the San Gabriel Riverbed between the 210 freeway and Huntington Drive around 8:50 p.m. Homicide Detectives were called to handle the investigation after the woman’s body was found, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department.

>>FULL STORY: Investigation Underway After Body Found in San Gabriel River Saturday

It is unclear if homicide detectives have identified a motive, a suspect, or if a suspect is in custody.

The San Gabriel Riverbed near the 210 freeway and northbound into the foothills is peppered with homeless encampments of varying sizes. The encampments are mostly set in the middle of the riverbed, or occupy the areas east of the San Gabriel River Bike Path.

Firefighters respond to douse cooking, or warming fires that often billow into full-blown brush fires.

As often as crews work to clear and clean the riverbeds of tarps, garbage and bicycle parts, people quickly return to occupy these wilderness areas.

Anyone with information on the homicide is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500-Information can be provided anonymously 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

IRWINDALE - Two men accused of taking a truck didn’t get too far after officers quickly located the duo chilling inside the stolen ride.

Officers were called to investigate a stolen truck at 1 a.m. February 12. A white Ford F-150 was taken from the 13500 block of Live Oak Lane. One officer searched the surrounding area and saw the stolen truck parked in the 1400 block of Arrow Highway, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Suspects Luis Angel Barcelo, 25, and Frankie Ramirez, 34, were promptly arrested. the Baldwin Park men were booked on suspicion of grand theft auto. Ramirez was later issued a citation and released.  Barcelo was held in custody with no bail on an open warrant, Irwindale Police said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - A dead body was found in the San Gabriel River in Irwindale February 20.

Officers were dispatched to a medical aid call at a homeless encampment between the 210 freeway and Huntington Drive in the San Gabriel Riverbed around 8:50 p.m. Saturday. Irwindale police detectives initiated a homicide investigation with help from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department.

After the death was discovered, authorities requested the assistance of a helicopter to the area for other suspicious circumstances after multiple people were heard screaming in the riverbed, according to police radio traffic.

Brian Kim, lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, declined to elaborate on an age, or if the victim was male or female, adult or juvenile.

Sheriff’s homicide detectives are now leading this investigation.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - An Ontario resident was tracked down in Azusa February 10 and jailed on suspicion of hitting and killing a pedestrian the day prior.

Javier Prado, 31, was found after investigators located his Ford F-150 Raptor in the 1100 block of Newburgh Street in Azusa. He was arrested without incident, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Prado was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and was held in lieu of $50,000 bail, Irwindale Police said.

Prado is accused of fatally striking a pedestrian in northbound lanes of North Irwindale Avenue at the 210 freeway just before 5:30 a.m. February 9.

A passerby reported a man down on the asphalt, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Firefighter paramedics worked on the victim and transported him to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center where he later died.

The victim’s identity is not yet publicly revealed. He is only described as being in his 50s, according to Sarah Ardalani, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Prado was issued a citation and released at 5:30 p.m. He is scheduled to appear in the West Covina courthouse February 16, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Investigators are attempting to track down the driver of a vehicle that struck a pedestrian who later died of his injuries Tuesday morning.

Based on the evidence and witness accounts gathered at the scene, the pedestrian was struck in northbound lanes of Irwindale Avenue at the 210 freeway around 5:28 a.m February 9, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department.

The driver of a grey 2015-2017 Ford F-150 Raptor fled the scene. The truck should have front end damage on the right side, Irwindale Police said.

First responders found the male victim on the pavement. He suffered significant traumatic Injuries. Firefighters treated the victim at the scene before transporting him to a nearby trauma center. He later succumbed to his injuries, Gatto said.

Firefighters were called by a passerby who reported seeing the man already down in lanes of traffic at 5:26 a.m.

Traffic lanes on Irwindale Avenue at the 210 freeway were mostly closed for about six hours while members of the Irwindale Police Department’s Traffic Investigation Unit processed the scene with help from the Covina Police Department and Azusa Police Department.

The victim’s personal belongings, including his shoes, were left strewn across the roadway.

Anyone with information on this fatal crash is urged to call the Irwindale Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-430-2245. Information can be provided anonymously 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

IRWINDALE - The first substation for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Transit Services Bureau along the L Line was unveiled February 1.

The substation, 1300 Optical Dr., will hold 69 personnel, including 62 sworn deputies, to provide a greater presence and improved response time along the Metro L Line and busses, according to Ramon Montenegro, public information officer with the Transit Services Bureau.

Department response times are some of the best in the US concerning contract policing, Montenegro told SGV CityWatch, but the department is always looking to improve.

The implementation of the Irwindale substation has been about two years in the making, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.

“Under the leadership of Sheriff's Lieutenant Eric Jaime, the new sub-station will serve TSB Deputies who police the L-Line between Azusa and Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, as well housing TSB's Mental Evaluation Team (MET), Special Assignment Team and their Public Information Officer (PIO),” according to the Irwindale Police Department in a written statement. “We are happy to have the Sheriff in our town and look forward to working closely with them on the safety of our transit riders and those using the Irwindale Station.”

The substation will be the fourth along the Metro system, joining the substations at the El Monte Bus Terminal, Downey and the Transit Services Bureau headquarters in Willowbrook, Montenegro told SGV CityWatch.

The substation is intended to handle matters along Metro transit lines and not handle all policing matters.

For non-emergent transit issues, call the Transit Services Bureau at 323-563-5000.

To report incidents to Metro security, call 888-950-SAFE(7233), or use the Metro Transit Watch app.

For emergencies, dial 911.