Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - The 19-year-old man accused of murdering his father and leaving the body in the San Gabriel Mountains was officially charged in court Tuesday.

Emir Abadzic-Lowe was charged with one count each of murder and a special allegation of using a deadly weapon, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records.

Deputies responded to Mount Baldy Road near Barrett Stoddard Canyon Falls just before 3:30 p.m. October 12. Deputies discovered a male who suffered from upper body trauma. San Bernardino County fire fighters responded and declared the man dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The father, Christian Lowe, 60, died from a stab wound to the neck, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.

Abadzic-Lowe was detained a few miles from the crime scene after crashing the vehicle he drove.

“Based on evidence at the scene, coupled with statements made by the son and witnesses, the son was arrested and booked for murder at the San Dimas Station,” according to the Sheriff’s Department in a written statement.

Abadzic-Lowe’s next court date is not readily available.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner confirmed that a man found dead in some spreading grounds in Irwindale was shot to death.

Manuel Sepulveda Jr. was the victim of a homicide. He is listed as a transient.

Irwindale police officers responded to the spreading grounds southwest of the 605 freeway and the 210 freeway around 10:30 a.m. May 26. Sepulveda, 49, was declared dead at the scene, according to the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

The exact circumstances surrounding the homicide are not publicly known.

The California Highway Patrol intermittently shut down the transition roads from the east 210 and west 210 freeway to the southbound 605, as well as the Arrow Highway on ramp to the north 605 freeway and Mt. Olive on ramp to the southbound 605 freeway during the operation.

The Azusa Police Department assisted Irwindale police with the tactical operation.

SGV CityWatch readers who traversed the freeway closures witnessed police in tactical gear, guns trained on an unspecified target in a homeless encampment.

Homicide investigators said a suspect remains at-large.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - Surveillance footage once again helped identify the man accused of gunning down three homeless people in Los Angeles late last month.

The suspect was already in custody, accused of murdering a San Dimas man after following him home from West Covina.

Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department Saturday.

The three murders of homeless men occurred from November 26 to November 29. The same vehicle was seen at all three murder scenes, investigators said.

Ballistics examination determined the gun seized after Powell was arrested in Beverly Hills was used in the homeless murders, according to an LAPD written statement.

The first LA murder occurred around 3 a.m. November 26 in the 800 block of West 110th Street. The next murder occurred around 5 a.m. November 27 in the 800 block of East Seventh Street. The third happened around 2:30 p.m. November 29 at South Avenue 18 and South Pasadena Avenue.

All victims in the LA murder were sleeping either on a public sidewalk or in an alleyway.

Powell will remain in custody pending the filing of charges.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - Two suspects were recently jailed in connection with the death of a man washed up and stuffed in a barrel in Malibu and the larger of the two has a local crime connection.

Dennis Eugene Vance, 41, and Joshua Lee Simmons, 37, were arrested October 3 and charged in the death of Javonnta Marshann Murphy. Murphy’s body was found stuffed in a metal barrel that washed up at Malibu Lagoon State Beach.

Murphy died of a gunshot wound to his head.

Simmons was infamously caught on cellphone video after being beat back by employees of a jewelry store during an attempted robbery September 2 in El Monte.

Simmons was charged with murder, personal use of a firearm and criminal threats. For the El Monte incident, he was also charged with attempted robbery, criminal threats and personal use of bear spray.

Vance was charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact in Murphy’s death.

Simmons is being held in lieu of nearly $3.3 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Los Angeles Municipal Court November 3.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The man accused of gunning down an auxiliary bishop for the LA Archdiocese over alleged money issues awaits his day in court.

Carlos Medina, 61, is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. A court date has yet to be set.

LA Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop at David O’Connell was discovered dead from at least one gunshot wound in his bedroom after deputies were called at 1 p.m. to a report of a person not breathing in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights Saturday, February 18, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

The Sheriff’s Department was notified Sunday, February 19 at 7 p.m. of a person of interest tied to the murder. Deputies traveled to the city of Torrance where the person of interest lives and after the special enforcement operation, Medina was apprehended.

Two firearms and items possibly tying Medina to the murder were confiscated. The firearms will have to be examined to determine if they were used in the Hacienda Heights murder, Luna said at the Monday press conference.

A tipster told the Sheriff’s Department that Medina was acting strange, irrational and expressed that O’Connell owed Medina money. Medina is married to O’Connell’s housekeeper, Luna said at the Monday press conference.

Investigators did not find any apparent forced entry into the home. Surveillance footage showed a dark-colored compact SUV pull into the bishops driveway and was driven away after a short time. That SUV is driven by Medina’s wife.

Before Medina’s arrest, investigators were told that he was possibly in the Central California area. A tipster notified investigators that Medina had returned to his home in Torrance in the 20400 block of Kenwood Avenue.

At 2 a.m. on Monday, February 20, deputies arrived to arrest Medina, but he refused to exit. At 8:15 a.m., Medina finally surrendered.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - A man convicted of murdering his neighbor during a dispute in 2019 reportedly killed himself in jail while awaiting his sentence.

Massimo Barbagallo, 49, died from multiple blunt force injuries January 10. His death was ruled suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed by email that Barbagallo did die while in custody. He faced 50 years to life in prison.

Barbagallo was held in the North County Correctional Facility when he died. He was convicted April 6, 2022 of murder in the July 15, 2019 shooting death of 26-year-old Christian Jonathan Alarcon in what was believed to be a longstanding feud.

The shooting happened in the 9400 block of Workman Avenue. First responders found Alarcon wounded on a residential front yard. He died after being hospitalized.

Barbagallo was scheduled for sentencing February 23.

DOWNEY – A victim found shot multiple times in a parking lot was identified as a Monterey Park Police officer, authorities said Monday.

Downey Police officers responded to a parking lot at 12070 Lakewood Blvd. August 8 to a reported shooting victim around 3:25 p.m. The victim was found in the Downey Landing shopping center inside a vehicle and paramedics pronounced him dead.

“Despite emergency medical treatment, the victim was pronounced deceased from his injuries,” according to the Downey Police Department in a written statement.

The officer’s name has not been publicly revealed.

Anyone with information on this murder is urged to call Downy Police Detective Ron Gee at 562-904-2331, or Lt. Dwayne Cooper at 562-904-2370.

BARSTOW – A twenty-something couple are accused of murder in the death of their 1-year-old child who was driven all the way to Pomona where family made the grisly discovery in the couple’s vehicle, police said.

Ricardo Mendez, 27, and Antanita Miller, 24, were booked at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga after Pomona officers and Barstow detectives began investigating the suspicious circumstances behind the child’s death.

Pomona officers were called to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center just before 8 p.m. April 25. The child was declared dead by hospital staff upon arrival. The child displayed suspicious trauma, including lesions, bruising and burn marks. Some injuries were in various stages of healing, according to the Barstow Police Department.

A homicide investigation was launched by Barstow Police after Pomona officers notified them that the death likely occurred in the child’s Barstow residence. Miller was detained as she arrived to Pomona Valley. Mendez was detained in the 2100 block of Spencer Street after leaving the family’s Pomona home, according to the Barstow Police Department.

“During the investigation detectives learned that on April 25, 2022, at approximately 7:00 PM, Ricardo Mendez and Antanita Miller arrived unexpectedly at Mendez’s family’s home located in the city of Pomona. Family members located the victim’s lifeless body in the back of Ricardo Mendez’ and Antanita Miller’s vehicle,” according to the Barstow Police Department. 

“Some of Mendez’s family members immediately drove the victim to the Pomona Valley Hospital for treatment. Ricardo Mendez and Antanita Miller stayed at the family home and did not initially go to the hospital.”

A search warrant served at the Barstow home and vehicle occupied by the couple during their grisly journey revealed items believed to be used during the crimes, according to the Barstow Police Department.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to call Barstow Police Detective Matthew Helms at 760-255-5132 or at [email protected]. Information can be provided anonymously by calling the WE-TIP hotline at 1-800-79-CRIME (27469), or at www.wetip.com.

LOS ANGELES – Investigators have identified the woman and man found dead New Year’s Day from apparent gunshot wounds in Temple City.

Jeanette Gallegos, 27, and Justin Joseph, 28, were identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Deputies responded to the 9200 block of Pentland Street on a report of domestic violence with a gunshot victim. Deputies discovered a 27-year-old woman suffering multiple gunshot wounds and 28-year-old man suffer a likely self-inflicted wound. Both died at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“Three juveniles, ranging in age from 5 to 11, were removed from the home unharmed upon the deputies’ arrival. The three lived in the home and are believed to be the children of the deceased female victim,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in a written statement.

A handgun was recovered at the scene.

LOS ANGELES – Detectives and the family members are pleading with the community to help find the gunman who shot and killed a man in Hacienda Heights.

Alfonso Guzman Jr., a 26-year-old Duarte man and father of two, was shot dead in his vehicle as he sat parked with his girlfriend on a scenic overlook in the 3300 block of Turnbull Canyon Road around 1 a.m. May 20. His girlfriend suffered injuries not life-threatening, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.