LAPD Blog

Rape Suspect Sought in South Los Angeles Attack

November 5, 2024

On November 3, 2010, District 10 City Councilmember Herb Wesson approved a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Baldwin Village rapists. Mayor Villaraigosa approved the reward proposal on November 4, 2010.  Suspect 2 has altered his appearance by waxing his eyebrow and shaving his hairline into a box-shaped appearance.

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who raped a teenager in South Los Angles on August 11, 2010.

Around 7 p.m., a teenage girl was walking home from a festival at Jim Gilliam Park and noticed she was being followed by two men.  The teen believed she was going to be harmed and ran.  Suspect No. 1 caught up to the girl, grabbed her from behind and began choking her.  Suspect No.2 then fondled the victim’s breasts.  He then pushed her to the ground and raped her.  The attack occurred under a carport, behind an apartment complex in the 4000 block of Coco Avenue.  After the attack, Suspect No. 1 who had been acting as a lookout also attempted to sexually assault the victim.  The victim ran away before the second attack occurred.  Both suspects chased the victim to her house.

Suspect No. 1 was described only as an African American male.  Suspect No.2 is described as a male Hispanic in his 20s with black hair and brown eyes.  He had a black mole on his right shoulder and a tattoo of a circle with a star inside of it on his chest.  He stood 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and blue Dickies pants.  

Anyone with information about this crime is urged to call Southwest sexual assault Detective Silvia Sanchez at 323-290-2975.  During non-business hours or weekends, calls may be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800)-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most key pads) using a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters can also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on “web tips” and follow the prompts.

Civilian Appreciation Month

October 12, 2024 – With smoke billowing from the oversized barbeque grill and disco tunes echoing through the courtyard of the Police Administration Building, the Civilian Appreciation BBQ hosted by the sworn LAPD employees was in full swing.  The line for food extended to the street as the civilian employees of the Department took the time to catch up with former colleagues now assigned to different divisions.

October in the Los Angeles Police Department is “Civilian Appreciation Month” which serves as an opportunity for the sworn police officers, from the Chief on down, to recognize and thank their civilian colleagues for the work they do throughout the year.  Of the approximately 13,000 employees of the LAPD, roughly 3,000 of those are civilian employees.

Civilian employees work in a supportive capacity, assisting their sworn counterparts in various duties such as clerical work, policy making, mechanical maintenance, information technology, public relations and emergency dispatching.  Job titles include Police Service Representative, Auto Mechanic, Store Keeper, Forensic Fingerprint Specialist, Police Administrator, Systems Analyst and Senior Clerk Typist to name a few.

Civilian appreciation events are scheduled to be held by the various divisions and bureaus in the Department throughout the month of October.  Many of these events are made possible by generous donations given by sworn personnel.  

Notes from the October 12, 2024 Weekly Police Commission Meeting

• Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board the annual True Blue Gala hosted by the Los Angeles Police Foundation was held over the weekend with $2 million in donations being raised.  Chief Beck said it was a very positive event and thanked the Commission and their staff for their involvement.
• The Inspector General’s report, dated October 5, 2010, relative to the Office of the Inspector General’s analysis of Consent Decree paragraphs not currently codified in Department policy, was given by Inspector General Nicole Bershon, was received and forwarded to the Department.  Ms. Bershon stated her office did an extensive analysis and of the 187 paragraphs in the Consent Decree, 96 have been codified into Department policy.  Sixteen paragraphs are being considered for codification.  The Board directed the Department to return the item to them in 45 days.
• The Department’s report, dated September 30, 2010, relative to transmittal of the grant application and award acceptance for the 2010 Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants Program, was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.
• The Department’s report, dated October 4, 2010, relative to destruction of obsolete original records, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.
• The Department’s report, dated October 4, 2010, relative to destruction of obsolete original records, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.
• The Department’s report, dated October 4, 2010, relative to destruction of obsolete original records, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.
• The Department’s report, dated October 4, 2010, relative to GED/CLEAR arrest, booking and charging inspection (IAID No. 10-130), as given by Police Administrator Gerald Chaleff, was approved. Mr. Chaleff said this was the ninth year of the audit and covered arrests made by the Gang Enforcement Detail.  He added there were 101 reports examined and the Department showed improvement in all categories.
• The Department’s report, dated October 1, 2010, relative to Van Nuys Area Gang Enforcement Detail Command Accountability Performance Audit (IAID No. 10-101) as given by Captain Bill Eaton, was approved.  Captain Eaton stated they reviewed three objectives with two of the objectives being compliant.  The third objective was being addressed and Captain Eaton added the Division does spot checks to ensure compliance.
• The Department’s report, dated September 28, 2010, relative to Confidential Informant Control Package Inspection (IAID No. 10-071), was approved.

LAPD Cold Case Featured on America’s Most Wanted

Los Angeles:  The America’s Most Wanted website and Facebook page will feature a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) cold case today at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  Jesus Lopez Gonzalez is wanted for three counts of Vehicular Manslaughter from a June 29, 2025 Hit and Run traffic collision that claimed the lives of three men in their 20’s.

Just after 2 a.m. on the morning of June 29, 1996, 22-year-old Friedrich Allmendinger, 23-year-old Thomas Gibson, and 23-year-old Faustino Sanchez were driving home after picking up some late-night hamburgers when their lives came to a violent end in the blink of an eye.  That’s because a 1989 Dodge Ram pick-up truck blew through a red light at nearly 45 mph, slamming into their ’96 Volkswagen GTI. Thomas, Faustino and Friedrich died at the scene.

According to witness reports, the driver of the Dodge Ram, who was later identified as Jesus Lopez Gonzalez emerged from his truck, picked up his white cowboy hat up off of the passenger seat, and casually strolled away from the accident scene.

More than a decade has passed, and Gonzalez has never resurfaced.  Since January 2010, America’s Most Wanted has profiled and assisted in the capture of over 120 fugitives.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call1-877-LAPD-24-7. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800)-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637(C-R-I-M-E-S on most key pads) using a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters can also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on “web tips” and follow the prompts.

COMPSTAT Citywide Profile

Crime Statistics October 12 , 2010


VIOLENT CRIMES                  2010**           2009**          % Chg

Homicide                              221*                248         -10.9%
Rape                                     591                 650          -9.1%
Robbery                               8524               9466         -10.0%
Agg Assaults **                     7325               8478        -13.6%
Total Violent Crimes           16661             18842        -11.6%

PROPERTY CRIMES

Burglary                               12893            14053          -8.3%
BTFV                                    21368            22181          -3.7%
Personal/Other Theft            20264            21733          -6.8%
Auto Theft                            12867            14004          -8.1%
Total Property Crimes        67,392          71,971         -6.4%
Total Part I Crimes             84,053          90,813         -7.4%

* Numbers reflects a change in reclassification for Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) guidelines and numbers are adjusted accordingly.

** Prior to 2005, Aggravated Assaults included Child/Spousal Simple Assaults

Older Brother Stabs to Death Younger Brother

Los Angeles:  An argument between siblings resulted in the stabbing death of Phillip Pelayo, a 31-year-old resident of Hollywood.

On October 10, 2010, at about 4:20 p.m., Hollywood Area Patrol Officers were called to the 1500 block of Winona Boulevard to investigate reports of an Assault with a Deadly Weapon-Stabbing.  When they arrived, Pelayo had already been transported to a local hospital by Los Angeles City Fire personnel, suffering from multiple stab wounds.  He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Investigators at scene developed evidence that Pelayo’s 42-year-old brother, Edgar Pelayo was involved in the stabbing, but he had fled the scene prior to the Officers arrival.  Detectives quickly obtained an arrest warrant for Edgar Pelayo.  During the investigation they discovered that Pelayo had boarded a bus and was headed South to the town of Calexico.  Using good investigative skills, Pelayo’s movements were tracked and he was taken into custody early Monday morning, at around 12:40 a.m., by San Bernardino Police Department Officers at a scheduled bus stop in the city of San Bernardino.

Pelayo was returned to Hollywood and booked for murder. He is being held on $1 million dollars bail.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Hollywood Homicide Detectives, Detectives Tom Small or Timo Illlig at 213-972-2910.  During non-business hours or weekends, calls may be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800)-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most key pads) using a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters can also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on “web tips” and follow the prompts.

Man Points Gun at Officers - O.I.S. Occurs at the Imperial Courts Housing Development

*** UPDATE ***

Today a group called the Coalition for Community Control Over the Police held a news conference to dispute the official account of this officer-involved shooting and to call for civilian oversight of the LAPD.  Chief Beck said, “No investigation on the LAPD is more exhaustive or subjected to more review and civilian oversight than an officer-involved shooting.”  In addition to the Chief of Police, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division, the Office of the Inspector General, and the Board of Police Commissioners maintain access to, and oversight responsibilities for, all officer-involved shooting investigations.  The Department’s use of force policy is based in case law (Graham v. Connor) and requires that an officer’s actions be objectively reasonable.   

Anyone with information about this officer-involved shooting should contact Force Investigation Division at 213-486-5230.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.

 

Los Angeles:  On October 7, 2010, just after 5 p.m., a man pointed a gun at two Los Angeles police officers.  One officer fired his duty pistol, striking the suspect.  The man, later identified as 18-year-old James Davis, was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

The incident began when Southeast Area Officers assigned to gang enforcement duties were patrolling the Imperial Courts Housing Development in full uniform and driving a marked police car.  The officers were on the grounds of the housing development near 114th Street and Grape Street when they encountered three known gang members, all of whom were on foot.  Immediately upon seeing the officers, one of the men (James Davis) immediately changed his direction and quickly moved toward an unidentified female.  The officers stopped to investigate the gang activity and the suspicious movements displayed by Davis.  

Davis pushed the unidentified female toward the officers and began to run away.  As the officers gave chase, they noticed that Davis appeared to be grasping at or about his waistband area.  The officers feared that Davis was armed.  Still attempting to elude the officers on foot, Davis produced a semi-automatic handgun and pointed it back toward the officers.  Police Officer II Manuel Castaneda, 5 years and 6 months with the Department, fired his duty pistol striking Davis, causing him to fall to the ground.  The officers immediately called for medical assistance.  Davis was transported by ambulance to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol was recovered at the scene.

LAPD’s Force Investigation Division is investigating the officer involved shooting.