Woman Murdered in Vehicle Stopped at a Traffic Signal

Los Angeles: On April 10, 2008, at 12:15 a.m., Newton Area patrol officers responded to a radio call in the area of Slauson Avenue and the 110 Freeway. Upon arrival, they discovered 19-year-old Samantha Padilla seated in her vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds.

Apparently, Padilla, who was employed by a company at Los Angeles International Airport, had stopped for a traffic light when someone in a 1990-91 light-brown over dark-brown Ford Bronco pulled up beside her. The occupant then fired several shots into her vehicle, striking her several times. The motive for the shooting has not yet been determined, and reports that Padilla was driving a City of Los Angeles vehicle are false.

Padilla was transported to California Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m.

Newton Area homicide detectives are handling the investigation. Anyone with information about the incident may contact the detectives at 323-846-5363. After-hours and weekend calls may be directed to a 24-hour hotline at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).

Comments

[UNKNOWN]

I MET SAMANTHA ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO. I DIDN'T KNOW HER ON A PERSONAL LEVEL BUT I DID KNOW HER BROTHER AND ALWAYS SAW HER AROUND. SHE WAS YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL AND FULL OF LIFE. THE MURDERER NEEDS TO BE FOUND AND JUSTICE NEEDS TO BE MADE. THIS PERSON NEEDS TO PAY FOR HIS/HER STUPIDITY TO THE HIGHEST EXTENT. SHE WAS NOT ONLY A DAUGHTER OR A SISTER BUT ALSO A FRIEND TO MANY. MANY HEARTS ARE BROKEN AND DESTROYED AND I JUST HOPE GOD GIVES HER FAMILY THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME THIS TRAGEDY.