Human Remains Found In Encino Trash Bin Identified As Missing Mother

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has identified the human remains that were found in an Encino trash bin as 37-year-old Mei Haskell. Her husband, Samuel Bond Haskell, 35, of Tarzana, has been charged with killing her and her parents, 64-year-old Yanxiang Wang and 72-year-old Gaoshen Li, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Mei Haskell's headless torso was found November 8 inside a trash bin near the intersection of Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Avenue. Mei and her parents were last seen on November 6, authorities said. They all lived together, along with the couple's three young children, at a home in Tarzana. The children were unharmed and found safe at school. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, after finding her remains, officers searched their house and located evidence linking Samuel to the crime. He was later arrested. 

FOX 11

Boy, 15, Killed In Vehicle Crash In Northridge; Suspect Arrested

A 22-year-old man is in custody for triggering a vehicle crash in Northridge that fatally injured a 15-year-old boy, authorities said Sunday. The suspect was driving eastbound on Strathern Street when he lost control at about 11 p.m. Saturday at White Oak Avenue and struck several parked vehicles, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Division reported. The boy, who was in the roadway, was struck by the parked vehicles. Paramedics rushed him to a hospital, where he died from his injuries, authorities said. No further details were immediately available.

MyNewsLA

Shooting Threat Shuts Down VNC Committee Meeting, Sparks Quick Response

In an unexpected turn of events, the Venice Neighborhood Administrative Committee's (AdComm) December 14th meeting was abruptly canceled following an anonymous threat, triggering a swift response from local authorities and community leaders. Late in the afternoon on Thursday, December 14, Brian Averill, President of the Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC), contacted members and previous AdComm attendees to announce the last-minute cancellation. The reason was an email the VNC had received that morning -- addressed to [email protected], from an anonymous Gmail account -- advising them "not to hold any group meetings" because "a shooting is going to happen". Averill immediately forwarded the email to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and the LAPD. At least two other Venice groups -- the Venice Chamber of Commerce and the Electric Lodge, received the same email at the same time. DONE's Director of Innovations, Gibson Nyambura, responded to Averill by sending an email to the entire VNC Board with the Subject Line, "URGENT: Department Guidance to Reschedule Board Meeting to Teleconferencing."  

Westside Current

How Los Angeles Police Are Fighting Back Against Organized Retail Theft

While flash mob robberies are all over social media this holiday season, these unruly thefts might not be as common as they seem. Nonetheless, the Los Angeles Police Department has officers working around the clock to stop the organized rings behind these heists — especially after Chief Michel Moore personally witnessed one during his day off. "A grab and run happened where an individual came in and took about 20 pairs of jeans, you know, right before me," Moore said. Moore chased after the robber. While he couldn't catch up to him, the suspect dropped the items and hopped into a car. "We got the items back," Moore said. Just a few months ago, Southern California saw a sudden spike in flash mob robbery scenes. In 24 days in July and August, there were seven instances of people running in and stealing anything they could get their hands on — many times security is seen standing by, bewildering some. 

CBS 2

6 Arrested In Undercover Prostitution Sting In Los Angeles

Los Angeles police have rescued a minor who was the victim of human trafficking and made six arrests as part of a prostitution crackdown, authorities announced Monday. Between Dec. 10-16, undercover vice officers with the Los Angeles Police Department conducted surveillance operations along the busy Figueroa Corridor “targeting lewd conduct, prostitution, and human trafficking activities,” according to a LAPD news release. The ongoing effort, police said, is to prevent the trafficking of women and minors in the area. Over the six-day operation, officers spotted numerous people approaching and soliciting women for sexual services, with many of the exchanges and services happening in public near residential neighborhoods where families and children were present, police said. Uniformed officers with LAPD’s Southeast Division arrested individuals as they were committing the crimes, the release stated. Six adults ranging in age from 21 to 68, all L.A. residents, were arrested and cited for engaging in an act of prostitution, solicitation for purposes of prostitution and pandering. Four have been released from custody. The underage victim of human trafficking was provided with services and reunited with family, authorities said. Detectives added that the investigation into the people trafficking the minor remains ongoing.  

KTLA 5

West Adams Family Makes Desperate Plea For Return Of Two Dogs Taken From Outside Their Home

A West Adams family is making a desperate plea for the return of their two beloved dogs who were taken from outside of their home last week. "We want our dogs back," said Alina Rhie, fighting back emotion. "I don't know how we're gonna be able to move on." They say that the dognapping happened at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, when the dogs were left alone in a stroller for a second on the driveway of the home. When they went back outside, the dogs and their stroller were nowhere to be seen. Security video shows a person pushing the stroller in the opposite direction of the home. Rhie says that the family has been going to shelters throughout Los Angeles County in hopes that they've turned up, but have thus far been unsuccessful. They've also posted fliers throughout their neighborhood. A $1,000 reward has been offered by the family as they await the safe return of their beloved pups. The family made a police report with the Los Angeles Police Department, who have launched an investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact them at (800) 222-8477.

CBS 2

Encino Man Gets 9 Years For Ponzi Scheme

A 51-year-old Encino man was sentenced Monday to nine years in federal prison for a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 40 investors out of millions. Motty Mizrahi pleaded guilty Jan. 6 to six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney will hold a restitution hearing at a later date. The defendant’s brother, Sassi Mizrahi, 58, of Sherman Oaks, was convicted Feb. 14 of five counts of wire fraud and was sentenced last month to 87 months in prison and was ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution. The two “operated a Ponzi scheme that targeted victims they knew had reason to trust them — fellow members of the close-knit Orthodox Jewish Israeli community in the San Fernando Valley,” prosecutors said in a sentencing brief. “Exploiting the goodwill engendered by such affinity, defendants scammed millions of dollars from their victims with false promises of risk-free investments and guaranteed returns.” The two ran their business, MBIG Company, out of their parents’ home in Encino. They raised about $6 million from investors from June 2012 through March 2019 with guarantees of 2% to 3% returns monthly as well as annual returns on their investments from 30% to 102%, prosecutors said.

MyNewsLA

Man, 80, Suffering From Dementia Goes Missing In Culver City

Authorities Saturday circulated a photo of an 80-year- old man suffering from dementia who went missing in Culver City. Rodney Allen Mitchell was last seen at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 4600 block of Sawtelle Boulevard, the Culver City Police Department reported. Mitchell had planned to travel to the 4500 block of Sepulveda Boulevard by way of a ride share service, police said. He was described as a 5-feet-11-inch tall Black man weighing 170 pounds with brown eyes and gray Afro-styled hair. He was last seen wearing a red and black sweatshirt, black jeans, gray Crocs and a gold bracelet on his right wrist. Anyone with any information regarding Mitchell's whereabouts was urged to call the Culver City Police Department at 310-253-6202 or 310-253-6120. Anonymous callers can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477, or tips can be sent to lacrimestoppers.org.

Westside Current

Meth And Cocaine Dipped In Jalapeño Paste? 349 Bags Of Drugs Extracted, Carefully, In San Diego

They covered themselves with hazmat suits, gloves and masks and put plastic bags over their boots. That’s how dangerous the substance was that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were examining Wednesday morning. A cadre of agents — veterans who had seized fentanyl, heroin and other illicit narcotics in previous raids — dug deep, hands and boots in a sea of pungent material, before hitting pay dirt. What agents said they found was almost 2 tons of methamphetamine and cocaine — valued at $10.4 million — buried within dozens of vats of fiery jalapeño paste. The cargo was seized from a commercial tractor-trailer near the Otay Mesa border. “It was an extremely spicy situation,” Michael Scappechio, a CBP spokesperson, told The Times. “You never really know what you’re dealing with just in terms of dangerous narcotics and then you throw in there all that organic material; we had to break out the full PPE,” or personal protective equipment. A 28-year-old man with valid border-crossing credentials was stopped Wednesday around 10:36 a.m. by agents while hauling his cargo. The individual was a Mexican national, according to Scappechio. His electronic shipment manifest listed only vats of jalapeño paste among his consignment.

Los Angeles Times

Two Arrested In Road Rage Killing Of California 4-Year-Old 10 Days Before Christmas

Authorities have identified the 4-year-old boy tragically killed 10 days before Christmas in a deadly road rage incident. On Friday, Dec. 15, the Adamyan family faced a nightmare as a road rage incident in Lancaster ended in the tragic loss of their vibrant four-year-old son, Gor Adamyan. Just before 7:30 p.m., LA County sheriff's officials said a mother and father were on their way to purchase groceries, with their four-year-old son in the backseat, when another driver cut them off and then started chasing them. When the family slowed down on Sierra Highway near East Avenue J, the other driver pulled up alongside their car and started shooting, hitting and killing the four-year-old boy. Witnesses from nearby businesses rushed to help after gunshots rang out, but tragically, the four-year-old died from his injuries Friday night, just ten days before Christmas. "There is absolutely no excuse for this. It is just domestic terrorism at its worst," said Lancaster Mayor Rex Parris. Parris said the city's new high-tech crime-fighting system quickly led authorities to the driver and shooter.

FOX 11

NBA G League Player Chance Comanche Arrested In Death Of Woman Missing In Vegas

Chance Comanche, until recently a player with the Stockton Kings in the NBA G League, has been arrested, along with his girlfriend, in the kidnapping and killing of a woman in Las Vegas, authorities said Sunday. Comanche, 27, was a graduate of Beverly Hills High School. Las Vegas Metropolitan police said two people walked into a police substation on Dec. 7 around 3:30 p.m. to report that Marayna Rodgers was missing. Rodgers, 23, had gone out Dec. 5 and had planned to meet her friend Sakari Harnden, 19, and Harnden’s boyfriend, Comanche. Rodgers had not been seen or heard from since, police said; authorities suspected foul play. Las Vegas Metropolitan police later discovered Rodgers’ remains in the desert of Henderson, Nev. “Detectives determined that Harnden and Comanche were responsible for the murder of Rodgers,” said a statement from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Rodgers, who worked as a medical assistant, had been visiting Las Vegas from Washington state with friends, according to local media. Comanche played with the Stockton Kings in their game against the G League Ignite in Henderson the day Rodgers was last seen.

Los Angeles Times

Fire Damages Attic At Four-Story Apartment Building In Valley Village

Fire Sunday damaged an attic at a four-story apartment building in Valley Village, authorities said. Firefighters dispatched at 6:35 a.m. to 12321 W. Riverside Drive had the fire out within 23 minutes of their arrival, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. “The fire was contained to the attic in one corner of the building,” said Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Salvage operations were conducted in the units below to protect against water damage.” No injuries were reported and a cause of the fire was under investigation.

MyNewsLA

LA County Launches Delayed Rent Aid For Struggling Landlords

Los Angeles County has finally launched a Rent Relief program designed to support small landlords hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the application deadline set for January 12, this initiative marks a critical step in addressing the financial challenges faced by property owners. Targeted specifically at 'mom-and-pop' landlords who manage up to four rental units, Los Angeles County's Rent Relief program aims to prevent tenant evictions, bolster small rental business sustainability, and maintain the availability of affordable housing across the county. Applications for the program, along with detailed eligibility criteria, are now available online at lacountyrentrelief.com. According to Rafael Carbajal, Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), the initiative is a response to the financial difficulties faced by numerous landlords due to the pandemic. Initially approved by the county Board of Supervisors in January, the program's rollout experienced delays due to administrative challenges.

Westside Current

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.