Gun Of Disgraced L.A. Cop Christopher Dorner Turns Up In Beverly Hills Armed Robbery Case

A gun once registered to Christopher Dorner — the notorious former L.A. cop who killed four people including two law officers — was found in the L.A. Airbnb of a pair of alleged “crime tourists,” federal prosecutors say. The two South American nationals are accused of stealing a $1-million watch at gunpoint last week on the patio of the Beverly Wilshire hotel. Did they use Dorner’s gun to carry out the alleged crime? Assistant U.S. Atty. Jena MacCabe would not confirm the weapon was used in the alleged robbery, KCAL reported, but an affidavit says it was the only weapon found in connection with the arrests. “We’re still trying to figure it out,” MacCabe said. Prosecutors say the suspects held up the victim in front of his wife and twin 5-year-old daughters at the high-end Beverly Hills hotel. One held a gun while the other took off the man’s luxury watch, a Patek Philippe, then fled in a car with a stolen plate, the affidavit says. Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 21, of Colombia, is charged with two felony counts related to the armed robbery. Nineteen-year-old Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, of Venezuela, is charged with felony conspiracy to commit robbery. Sepulveda said the crew had been doing surveillance for two weeks in an effort to steal a Patek Phillipe watch, the complaint says, and both men admitted their involvement in stealing a $30,000 Rolex in Beverly Hills two days before the $1-million watch theft.

Los Angeles Times

Police Announce “Significant" Arrests As String Of San Fernando Valley Burglaries Continue Overnight

A troubling trend of crime plaguing the San Fernando Valley continued overnight, when several businesses were hit by burglars once again. Investigators haven't disclosed if the most recent instances are connected, but two pharmacies, a shoe store, a computer shop and a smoke shop were all hit in a small four-hour window Tuesday morning, marking the latest moments in a weeks-long issue that has residents and small business owners fed up. The first reported incident came at a smoke shop in Arleta, where a group of attempted burglars used a car to smash through the front of the business and rush inside. They were met by the store's owner, however, who was prepared to fight back. In that instance, two people were arrested and two got away from police. Hours later, at around 3 a.m., David Far, the owner of Canoga Park computer store TEKDEP says that two people wearing dark clothing and driving a white van broke through the rear of his store and took off with computers, equipment and his gun. Far says that he attempted to watch surveillance footage of the suspects when it suddenly cut out, leading to his belief that they used a WiFi blocker. 

CBS 2

2.2 Million Illegal Cannabis Packages Seized In LA, Many Marketed As Children's Candy

More than 2.2 million packages of illegal cannabis were seized during a sting operation in the Toy District of Los Angeles. Many of the packages resembled popular food and candy brands that could appeal to children, including Twinkies and Sweet Tarts, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office. The operation focused on eleven storefronts selling items with a forged California seal, making it look like it was legal and "undermining the safety and integrity of the state's regulated cannabis industry," the governor's office added. The operation was led by the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce, which also recently announced that it had seized more than $120 million in illegal cannabis since January. 

ABC 7

Silver Alert Issued For Missing 60-Year-Old Man Last Seen In Venice

A Silver Alert is effect Wednesday for a missing 60-year-old man last seen in Venice. Khosro Vahdati-Bolouri was last seen Tuesday near the intersection of Ocean Front Walk and Washington Boulevard at about 1 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. Vahdati-Bolouri was described as a 5-foot, 8-inch man weighing 150 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black Fila shirt and sweatpants with a pink stripe. Anyone with information regarding Vahdati-Bolouri was urged to call 911. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org. The Silver Alert was issued by the CHP Tuesday on behalf of the Los Angeles Police Department. The program was established by the CHP to issue and coordinate alerts involving the suspicious or disappearance of elderly, developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired individuals.

MyNewsLA

2 Arrested After Beverly Hills Pharmacy Burglary, Police Chase Across LA County

Two suspects were taken into custody following a pharmacy burglary in Beverly Hills and a police chase through Los Angeles County. A witness contacted authorities after they observed a burglary-in-progress at Pharmacy 90210, located at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Linden Drive. Officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department arrived within two minutes and discovered the suspects were still at the scene. The suspects then drove off in a white Dodge Durango, which prompted a pursuit that continued into Los Angeles. Los Angeles Police Department officers then assisted Beverly Hills PD in the pursuit, which ended in the Wilmington area at 115th Street. There, the suspects ditched the vehicle and ran away. Eventually, two suspects were caught, but at least one is believed to have escaped. Investigators said the suspects' vehicle had been stolen from the San Fernando Valley several weeks prior. In addition, police reports indicate that the vehicle has been used in multiple burglaries across the region.

FOX 11

Drug Deal For 1 Million Fentanyl Pills In LA County Leads To Prison Sentences For 2 Men

A judge sentenced two men to prison time after they were found with 1 million fentanyl pills last year, a massive drug bust in Los Angeles County which federal prosecutors say started with a deal brokered in Mexico. For several months, between September 2022 and March 2023, the two defendants and another suspect all worked together to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills which they were selling for 75 cents each, according to federal prosecutors. They were ultimately found with 1,016,270 fentanyl pills — which weighed about 241 pounds — which they had planned to sell. Fentanyl is described by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency as 100 times more potent than morphine, 50 times more potent than heroin and the main driver behind a record-high number of drug-related deaths of Americans in recent years. In Southern California, like much of the U.S., more and more county-level prosecutors are pursuing murder charges against accused dealers tied to fentanyl deaths. "Fentanyl is the nation's greatest and most urgent drug threat," states the DEA's 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment.

CBS 2

California Serial Killer William Suff Linked To 1986 Cold Case Murder In South Pasadena

The decades-old slaying of Cathy Small, whose body was found in South Pasadena in 1986, is linked to serial killer William Suff, who was convicted of murdering 12 women in Riverside County from 1986 to 1991, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced. During a news conference Tuesday, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna called it a "major breakthrough," calling it "long-overdue justice and closure" to Small and her family. "Amongst everything else we're talking about today, you've always got to remember when we're talking about something as significant as this, we're talking about a victim who lost her life, and the family who will never forget that," Luna said. Small was found stabbed to death on Feb. 22, 1986, in the 800 block of Bank Street, located near the area of Monterey Road and Meridian Avenues, LASD homicide Lt. Patricia Thomas said. An autopsy later determined Small died of "multiple stab wounds and strangulation." Small was identified as the victim after her roommate at the time read about the killing in the newspaper and contacted authorities. He told detectives Small was a prostitute in the Lake Elsinore area and had lived at his home for a few months.

FOX 11

2nd Woman Sentenced In Straw Purchase Of Gun Used To Kill 1 Illinois Officer And Wound Another

An Indianapolis woman has been sentenced to four years in prison after taking part in the straw purchase of a handgun that was used to kill one central Illinois police officer and wound another during a shootout. Ashantae Corruthers, 30, appeared at a sentencing hearing Tuesday in federal court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois said in a news release. Corruthers was accused of engaging in a conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. She pleaded guilty in June 2023 and admitted that she conspired with Regina Lewis and Darion Lafayette to buy the gun in 2020 at an Indianapolis gun store for Lafayette, Lewis’ cousin, who was a convicted felon and could not legally buy a firearm. Corruthers falsely certified on a form for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that she bought the gun for herself. She later reported to Indianapolis police in 2021 that the gun had been stolen. Lafayette fatally shot Officer Christopher Oberheim and wounded Officer Jeffrey Creel on May 19, 2021, after they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at an apartment complex in Champaign, about 135 miles (217 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. Lafayette was also fatally shot.

Associated Press

Seismologist Warns Of Increasing Earthquake Activity In Southern California

Monday’s 4.4 magnitude earthquake that jolted the Los Angeles area is part of a broader trend of increased seismic activity in Southern California that is likely to continue, according to the region’s leading seismologist. “2024 has had more earthquakes than any year we’ve seen since 1988,” Dr. Lucy Jones, a geophysicist and researcher at Caltech, said in an interview on KTLA 5 Morning News Tuesday. Since 1932, Southern California has averaged 10 to 12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater per year. However, Jones noted that the past 20 years have seen an average of just five such quakes annually. With more than three months left in 2024, the region has already experienced 13 quakes measuring 4.0 or greater. “So, this is an active year, much like we used to see,” Jones said. “It does seem like we should expect this to continue at a higher rate.” According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Monday’s 4.4-magnitude quake, which struck at 12:20 p.m., was centered near Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood and occurred along the Puente Hills thrust fault system. It did not cause significant damage but occurred less than a week after a 5.2-magnitude quake near Bakersfield, which also rattled nerves across Southern California.

KTLA 5

City Council Approves Temporary Stop To Demolition Permits On Low-Income Housing In Boyle Heights

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday unanimously approved a measure to protect residents of Boyle Heights from displacement and gentrification. In a unanimous vote, the City Council approved what is known as an Interim Control Ordinance, which acts as a temporary measure to halt demolitions of rent-controlled and affordable housing units. It also prevents developers from exploiting the gap period until long-term protections under a community plan are officially adopted. The ICO is intended to provide "immediate'' protection for Boyle Heights residents until a community plan is finalized over the next few months, according to Councilman Kevin de León's office, which encompasses the 14th District, including Boyle Heights. "The approval of this ICO is a powerful statement that Boyle Heights is not for sale,'' de León said. "This ordinance is not just about stopping demolitions -- it's about defending the heart and soul of our community from those who would prioritize profits over people. We're sending a clear message to developers: We will not allow the displacement of our families or the erasure of our culture.''

ABC 7

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.