Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Detectives investigating the assault and disappearance of a Monrovia woman pieced together the suspect’s movements in the hours since her July 29 disappearance. Amanda Kathleen Custer, 31, was seen by witnesses as her reportedly lifeless body was placed into the rear hatch of a grey Prius, allegedly at the hands of Robert Anthony Camou, 27. Before Camou was seen in Claremont northbound towards the San Gabriel Mountains, he stopped at Del Taco, 1834 E. Route 66, in Glendora at 8:32 a.m. Five minutes later, Camou bought cigarettes from a Shell Gas Station, 1860 E. Route 66, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. Camou was tracked by the ankle monitor he was required to wear as part of a domestic violence case involving Custer. The Prius headed east through Claremont at 8:56 a.m. through Baseline Road and Padua Avenue. Camou stopped at an AMPM in the 3800 block of Sierra Avenue just before 9 a.m. near Lytle Creek. Nearly 30 minutes later, he headed south on the 15 freeway, but detectives lost track of Camou’s movements.
“After this point, there is a five-hour gap in time, where the location of Robert Camou and Amanda Custer is unknown,” detectives said. At 2:40 p.m., Camou visited a Chase Bank ATM in Azusa -- about five hours after detectives lost track of him after he removed the ankle monitor. Detectives have expanded their search, which focused on the Glendora Ridge Road/Mt. Baldy Road and Lytle Creek areas, to include the Azusa canyons. "This is basically a plea to anybody one out there, especially on Monday, the 29th of July that was hiking or fishing or mountain biking that might of seen anything out of the ordinary. It might not have seemed important at that time, but it does now,” said Custer’s father, Rick Custer. Camou is being held without bail in an unrelated domestic violence, burglary and assault case. Anyone with information on Custer’s whereabouts is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Homicide detectives have expanded their search for a woman not seen since July 29. Detectives are searching the Lytle Creek area, where suspect Robert Anthony Camou apparently has great knowledge of. His girlfriend Amanda Custer has been missing since she was taken against her will, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “We are asking the community to remain vigilant and keep an eye out for Amanda Custer,” deputies said in a written statement. Deputies are also searching the San Gabriel Mountains in the Glendora Ridge Road and Mt. Baldy Road areas. Camou was apparently witnessed placing Custer into his grey Prius after an assault occurred in a Monrovia home. Police entered the home after Camou drove away with Custer and found blood inside. Camou was found sleeping in his Prius in Los Angeles July 30 and was arrested after a lengthy standoff. Camou is being held on an unrelated, no-bail domestic violence warrant.
Camou infamously was recorded rapping about killing a woman and burying her in the dirt. The video was recorded hours before his arrest. If anyone has information on Amanda Custer’s whereabouts or any information about her disappearance, call 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Homicide Investigators believe the suspect seen allegedly kidnapping his girlfriend July 29 from her Monrovia home may have driven to the mountains above Claremont just hours after a domestic attack. The suspect, 27-year-old Robert Anthony Camou, was witnessed taking Amanda Custer, 31, from her Monrovia home around 8:15 a.m. July 29. Sheriff’s Homicide detectives state Camou’s 2017 four-door Toyota Prius was seen north on Padua Road in Claremont heading to Mt. Baldy. “Anyone on or off road, in the area of Mount Baldy (Mount Baldy Road, Glendora Ridge Road, Glendora Mountain Road) on Monday July 29, 2019, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., that observed suspect Camou, victim Custer and/or the Toyota Prius, are encouraged to contact Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. Police entered the home where the attack occurred July 29 and reportedly found blood inside. Camou was found around 2:45 a.m. the following day, sleeping in his Prius parked at South Hill Street and West Second Street in Downtown Los Angeles. He was arrested after an hours-long standoff -- Custer was nowhere to be found. Camou is being held without bail on unrelated burglary and domestic violence charges, the Sheriff’s Department said.
In a bizarre twist, a video surfaced of Camou rapping at an L.A. club. In the song, Camou spoke of killing a woman and burying her in dirt. He mentioned police were looking for him before exiting off screen. “Although the extent of Victim Custer’s injuries are unknown, Homicide Detectives believe she may be in grave danger,” the Sheriff’s Department said. Anyone who has seen Custer or knows her whereabouts is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Sheriff’s deputies, Los Angeles Police and crisis negotiators are attempting to have an accused domestic violence and kidnapping suspect peacefully surrender from inside his Prius.
The grey Prius used in the July 29 kidnapping is parked at South Hill Street and West Second Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It was found parked with a sleeping suspect inside since 2:45 a.m., authorities said. 27-year-old Robert Anthony Camou is believed to be barricaded within. “Officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, however he refused to exit the vehicle. Due to the nature of the crimes the suspect is wanted for, LAPD SWAT resources have been deployed to the scene,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD has hard closures along 1st Street, 2nd Street, 3rd Street and Broadway. Camou is Accused of injuring and kidnapping 31-year-old Amanda Custer. Monrovia Police we’re called to the 600 block of Vaquero Drive around 8:15 a.m. Monday and found blood at the scene. Authorities believe a domestic violence incident occurred, but do not yet know whose blood was found. Camou and Custer are or were dating and have a history of domestic violence. Custer was reportedly seen being placed into the rear hatch of the grey Prius. It is unclear if she is in tthe barricaded Prius. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A handful of mountain roads will be closed ahead of the Independence Day holiday. Glendora Mountain Road north of Big Dalton Road to East Fork Road and Glendora Ridge Road from Glendora Mountain to Mt. Baldy Road will close Wednesday, July 3 at 4 p.m. The roads are expected to reopen Friday, July 5 at 10 a.m., according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The above road closures will not affect pedestrian, bicycle or horse traffic. Chantry Flat Road will close Wednesday, July 3 at 8 p.m. and is expected to reopen the morning of July 5, Sierra Madre Police said. Monrovia Canyon Park, 1200 N. Canyon Blvd., will be closed July 3 through July 5, the City of Monrovia said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A man found guilty of a series of heinous crimes against four women over five years will see the inside of a prison cell for life. Jason Chung Chien Yu, 43, was sentenced Wednesday. He was found guilty in June of three counts of sodomy by use of force, two counts each of kidnapping to commit rape, assault to commit rape and false imprisonment and one count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and criminal threats, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Yu assaulted women ranging from 22 to 60 years old. He promised the victims money or drugs in exchange for sex. Yu Kidnapped a woman to commit rape in 2012. He also beat and sodomized two women in 2016. In February 2017, Yu kidnapped another woman and assaulted her, the DA’s office said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Authorities across the country are investigating the overseas source of an emailed bomb threat Thursday. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Police Chief Dario Robinson revealed the campus received a similar threat. A Monrovia business also received the e-mailed threat. “UPD are in touch with local and fed authorities and are conducting sweeps of campus buildings as a precautionary measure,” Robinson said. “The campus remains open and finals will continue as scheduled.” WTC Consulting, 222 E. Huntington Dr., in Monrovia received an emailed threat around Noon Thursday. The business was evacuated as a precaution and nearby businesses were evacuated, according to Monrovia officials.
The author of the e-mail said an explosive device was planted inside the targeted business. A supposed accomplice would detonate the device and wound anyone in the business unless $20,000 in Bitcoin was not delivered. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The mother and daughter found slain in their Monrovia apartment December 5 were strangled to death, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said.
In addition to the strangulation, 17-year-old Kelsey Meza suffered blunt head trauma, the coroner said. The mother and daughter were found slain in their apartment in the 800 block of West Colorado Boulevard around 1:30 p.m. Monrovia officers made the discovery after responding to a call of an assault that occurred there, according to Lt. Derrick Alfred of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. An unknown caller phoned Alhambra Police about the assault. The call was then transferred to the Monrovia Police Department, which responded and found an open window. Officers entered through the window and found the females dead. Nimrod Perez Guerrero, 33, is being sought by detectives as the possible murder suspect and is considered armed and dangerous. Perez Guerrero may be driving a grey 2014 Toyota Rav4 with license plate 7FPB132. Anyone who know’s Perez Guerrero’s whereabouts is urged to call Homicide detectives at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor MONROVIA - Two women are in custody, accused of attempted murder and kidnapping after a woman was found unconscious in their vehicle.
Kyanna Patterson, 23, and Brittney Patterson, 21, were arrested after leading Chino Police officers on a pursuit Tuesday. The unidentified victim, an acquaintance of the suspects, reported got into a disagreement with both women, causing them to attack her, police said. Officers were called to a report of a woman in distress and calling for help in a vehicle in a Circle K lot, 12895 Mountain Ave., at 7:22 a.m. Tuesday. Officers located the suspects’ silver Kia Sonata on Benson Avenue, but the suspects refused to stop and sped away. The Sonata crashed into two vehicles at the intersection of Riverside Drive and 10th Street. Officers discovered the 28-year-old victim unconscious in a rear passenger seat, a cord around her neck, Ontario Police said. The victim was hospitalized in stable condition. The women were en route to Indio from Los Angeles when the attack occurred, Ontario Police said. Both suspects were booked on suspicion of attempted murder at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The infamous bank bandit known for his stylish doo has struck three more times, bringing his robbery total to six. The Twirly Head Bandit hit banks in Gardena, Norwalk and Pasadena, according to the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. The bandit previous hit banks in West Los Angeles, Culver City and Monrovia, according to Laura Eimiller, spokeswoman for the FBI Los Angeles Field Office.
The robber was given an unknown amount of cash, according to Lt. Tom Loy of the Monrovia Police Department.
The suspect fled the bank and employees locked the doors after he left, Loy said. The robber is a Black male in his mid 20s, 5-foot 10 inches to 6 feet tall and weighs 160 to 170 pounds. No suspect vehicle description was available. Anyone with information on the bandit is urged to call the FBI at 310-477-6565. |
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