Southern California Man Accused Of Murdering 76-Year-Old Girlfriend

A suspect was arrested for the murder of an elderly woman in the San Fernando Valley Thursday. William Anthony Tillman, 69, is accused of murdering his 76-year-old girlfriend, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. On Thursday morning around 6:15 a.m., police responded to reports of a domestic violence assault on the 7300 block of Balboa Boulevard in Van Nuys. Arriving officers found the woman suffering from blunt force trauma to her upper torso. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. Her boyfriend, Tillman, was arrested on murder charges. The circumstances leading up to the woman’s death remain unclear. Police confirmed he and the victim were involved in a long-term dating relationship. The woman’s identity is being withheld pending next of kin notification. Tillman is being held on $2 million bail. Anyone with additional information on the case is urged to call LAPD’s Valley Bureau Homicide at 818-374-9550. The public can also call the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247. 

KTLA 5

Los Angeles Police Arrest Two Alleged Burglary Crews

The Los Angeles Police Department arrested a pair of crews on Wednesday in connection with separate burglaries in Sherman Oaks and Cheviot Hills. The first arrests happened when police received a call about a burglary in progress at about 12:30 p.m. in a Hollywood Hills community in the 3000 block of Longridge Avenue, Sherman Oaks. The first officers to respond encountered the suspect's vehicle in the 2000 block of Coldwater Canyon Boulevard, southwest of the alleged burglary. The suspects, 29-year-old Keyshawn Isom and 24-year-old Damond Collier, surrendered to police after a traffic stop. Detectives in West LA believe they committed another burglary in their area. Both men have been booked with burglary and have a bail of $50,000. The second set of arrests happened after a burglary in the Cheviot Hills area at about 2:30 p.m., according to the LAPD. Investigators learned about it after a resident encountered three male burglars standing outside his home near a shattered window. After noticing the man, the group ran towards the front of the home and got away before officers arrived. 

CBS 2

Trial Date Set For ‘Ketamine Queen' And Doctor Charged In Matthew Perry's Death

A Los Angeles federal judge Tuesday set a March trial date for the two lead defendants charged in the death of actor Matthew Perry. Dr. Salvador Plasencia, charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman who authorities say is a dealer who sold the actor the lethal dose of ketamine, have both pleaded not guilty. A status conference for the two defendants originally set for Wednesday in downtown L.A. has been taken off calendar. Court papers show that U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett on Tuesday set a pretrial hearing in February and a March 4 trial date for Sangha and Plasencia. Sangha, 41, who is allegedly known as the "ketamine queen," is in federal custody. Plasencia, 42, is out on bond. Also in the case, Mark Chavez, a San Diego doctor, has agreed to plead guilty on Oct. 2 to a federal count of conspiring to distribute ketamine. He is among the three remaining Perry defendants to sign plea agreements.

ABC 7

Homeless Man Charged For Violent Santa Monica Attacks

A homeless man accused of attacking two people in Santa Monica was arrested and charged for the assaults. Mario Alejandri, 31, was charged with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon, the Santa Monica Police Department announced Thursday. On Aug. 28, shortly before midnight, a woman called for help and was found bleeding with cuts to her face and head in the 2700 block of Barnard Way. She told police a man had punched her several times in the head and face, hit her with a bottle and tried to shove sand in her mouth. The attacker fled the scene before officers later located Alejandri nearby and took him into custody. Investigators discovered Alejandri was the same man who allegedly attacked an employee at a Trader Joe’s market the day before. When Alejandri entered the store, he was “immediately recognized by store staff from prior shoplifting incidents,” police said.

KTLA 5

Release Of 'Pillowcase Rapist' To LA County Blasted By Prosecutor After Bay Area Court Ruling

A convicted serial rapist who authorities say has admitted to raping and assaulting about 40 women is being released to Los Angeles County — over the objection of the county's prosecutor and years after another release spurred community outrage. Christopher Hubbart, 63, was convicted in 1973, 1983 and 1990 for a series of rapes and other sex crimes in LA and Santa Clara counties. He has been dubbed by prosecutors "the pillowcase rapist" as he would use a pillowcase to muffle the screams of his victims. For 50 years, legal wrangling over his convictions has led to him being in and out of state mental hospitals and prisons. In 2014, he was freed and sent to a neighborhood in LA County's Antelope Valley, the same area where he is now expected to move. A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge granted his conditional release in March 2023, and now, the Bay Area court has ruled that LA County is his permanent home and where can legally live following his release. But that decision was blasted by LA County District Attorney George Gascón on Wednesday, when the prosecutor announced his release. "Continuing to release sexually violent predators into underserved communities like the Antelope Valley is both irresponsible and unjust," Gascón said in a statement.

CBS 2

‘Travesty': 3 Milwaukee Police Officers Wounded In Shootout With Suspect

Three police officers were shot and wounded while trying to serve a warrant Thursday morning on a man inside a Milwaukee apartment building. The injuries suffered by the officers were not considered life-threatening, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman told reporters in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred. Norman said the 35-year-old suspect was wanted on charges that included being a felon in possession of a firearm, domestic violence-related false imprisonment and sexual assault. Officers had attempted communicating with the man when he started shooting at them around 11:38 a.m., Norman said. “Our officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect,” Norman continued. “After the gunfire ceased, officers continued communication with the suspect.” The man, whose name was not released, eventually surrendered two firearms with high-capacity extended magazines and was arrested. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of wounds. Norman said he not immediately certain if the man had been shot by officers or on the extent of the officers’ wounds. The wounded officers — ages 49, 44 and 43 — are members of the police department’s Special Investigation Division. Each has more than 19 years of service as a police officer, Norman said.

Associated Press

Video: Suspect In Stolen Pickup Truck Rams Cruiser, Fires Shots At Colorado Deputies Before Crashing

Dashcam footage released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office shows a suspect ramming a patrol car during a pursuit, according to a news release. The Sept. 4 incident unfolded when deputies responded to a report of a burglary in progress at a salvage yard, according to the release. The suspect can be seen on video attempting to flee by ramming a deputy’s patrol car. After using a stolen pickup truck with a trailer attached to force the cruiser out of the way, the suspect sped away, leading deputies to initiate a pursuit. As the suspect fled, sparks began to fly underneath the trailer, dashcam footage shows. Shortly after, the trailer came loose from the truck and went toward the road shoulder. The trailer then flipped onto its side, blocking the lane that the truck used to turn onto another road. During the pursuit, the suspect fired shots at both Douglas County deputies and Englewood police officers who had joined the pursuit, according to the release. The pursuit ended when the suspect crashed and was taken into custody. One deputy, whose patrol car was rammed during the incident, was transported to the hospital for evaluation. He has since been released and is expected to make a full recovery, according to the release.

PoliceOne

Firefighters Rescue Man From Los Feliz Ditch After Hours Of Operation Amid Dangerous Heat

After spending several hours outside amid an excessive heat warning, firefighters rescued a man who fell into a trench in Los Feliz Thursday. The adult man, who officials said was conscious and alert, became trapped inside the 8-foot ditch as he was stuck in soil up to his waist. "We are proud to say that the patient has been rescued after an approximate six-hour delicate procedure and is now in the care of our LAFD medical professionals," Cpt. Erik Scott with the Los Angeles City Fire Department announced on social media. Officials were initially concerned that the man may suffer from crash injuries from the pressure of being stuck in a compacted space. It’s not clear how the man fell into the trench, but he was doing construction work at a hillside home, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. As the rescue operation was underway, the temperature in the Los Feliz area reached well over 100 degrees, creating challenges for crews who had to hike up the hillside with heavy equipment and protective gear.

NBC 4

Excessive Heat Warning Extended In SoCal As Hot Temps Stay Through Weekend

An excessive heat warning has been extended through early next week as scorching temperatures continue in Southern California. The excessive heat warning was set to expire over the weekend, but it has been extended through Monday evening. Large swaths of the Southland are under red flag warnings due to high temps and low humidity levels. Los Angeles and Orange counties on Friday and into the weekend will be in the triple digits. A high of 103 is on tap Friday. A slight cooldown doesn't arrive until Tuesday when temperatures are expected to drop to the low 90s. Wednesday may see temps dip into the 80s. Highs in the valleys and Inland Empire on Friday may range from 108 to 119 degrees, and temperatures will stay above 100 on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will remain hot for the next several days. Beaches will see some fog Friday morning and warm up to 85 by the afternoon.

ABC 7

New Research Links Surge In Valley Fever Cases Reported In California To Droughts

Valley fever, a dangerous disease brought on by inhaling dust carrying fungus spores, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of reported cases in California over the last decade. According to the California Department of Public Health, the number of cases have concerningly tripled two times in the last decade — first during the period between 2014 and 2018, and then again between 2018 and 2022 — despite remaining relatively rare. Scientists have largely linked this endemic increase to more swings from extreme drought to immense precipitation amid climate change that have created ideal conditions for the fungus that causes Valley Fever, the Coccidioides fungus, to grow and spread. New research from UC San Diego and UC Berkeley backs this understanding and offers critical insight for public health officials to better prepare for future upticks in Valley fever cases. “This is the first study to pin down exactly when disease risk is highest in all of California’s endemic counties, as well as places where the disease is newly emerging,” one of the study’s authors, UC Berkeley School of Public Health professor Dr. Justin Remais, said in a statement.

KTLA 5

City Council OKs Motion To Tackle Lead Contamination In Watts

Following a study that found alarming levels of lead in drinking water in homes in the Watts area, the Los Angeles City Council Wednesday instructed the Department of Water and Power and the city’s Housing Authority to investigate and verify the levels of lead contamination and make any necessary repairs. Council members voted 10-0 in favor of a motion introduced by Councilman Tim McOsker, who represents the 15th District encompassing the Watts area. The Housing Authority will also create a strategy to communicate with residents about the progress being made on the issue. “Watts is a beautiful, fantastic neighborhood, but sadly, it’s also one of California’s most polluted neighborhoods, according to CalEnviroScreen (a data tool from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment),” McOsker said. “The study done by the Better Watts Initiative highlighted significant levels of lead in the tap water of several homes, particularly in the public housing developments.” The councilman said the Housing Authority, DWP and Mayor Karen Bass’ office have “all leaned in” to address the issue, though he acknowledged that their actions come “too late.”

MyNewsLA

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.