LAPD Blog

49-year-old Woman Missing for More Than Six Days

Los Angeles:   The family of Marta Michel and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) requests the public’s help to locate her.

Ms. Marta Michel, was last seen on Saturday, January 19, 2013, around 5:00 pm, at her residence in the 2800 block of Maple Street, Los Angeles.  Ms. Michel is described as a 49-year-old female Hispanic with black hair and dark brown eyes.  She stands 4’11”tall and weighs about 160 pounds.  She was last seen wearing a gray and white horizontal striped skirt and a gray blouse.

If you have seen, or have any information regarding the whereabouts of Marta Michel, please contact Detective Lydia Saiza, LAPD Missing Persons Unit at (213) 996-1800. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should 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 keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

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Graduation Ceremony for Class 8-12

click here to listen to Chief Beck

On Friday, January 25, 2013, the Los Angeles Police Department graduated 40 police officers, 34 males and six females.  The graduation was held at the Los Angeles Police Academy in Elysian Park.

Click on the above link to listen to Chief Charlie Beck address the new police officers.

Fatal Traffic Collision in Van Nuys

Los Angeles:  On Saturday, January 19, 2013, around 5:50 p.m., LAPD Valley Traffic officer responded to a collision that occurred on Sepulveda Boulevard and Haynes Street.  When they arrived they found an unconscious woman on the ground suffering from injuries.  They were also met by a male who advised that he was involved in a traffic collision with the woman.  Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded and transported the woman to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. The investigation revealed that a black 1987 Mercedes was traveling southbound on Sepulveda Boulevard at Haynes Street, when it collided with a woman in a motorized wheelchair traveling westbound Haynes Street in an unmarked crosswalk.  The driver immediately stopped to assist the handicapped woman.   The driver has been identified as 50-year-old male resident of Los Angeles. Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Valley Traffic Division Detectives, Officer Fuentes at 818-644-8022.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should 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 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.

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Teacher Arrested for Sexual Act on a Child

Los Angeles:  LAPD Juvenile Division’s Sexually Exploited Child Unit (SECU) has been involved in an investigation involving a teacher at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington.  SECU detectives assumed the investigation on March 15, 2012.  

The investigation began when several girls told their parents that they had been inappropriately touched by a fourth grade teacher during school at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary.   The teacher, Robert Pimental, age 57, of Newport Beach, California, has been employed by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) since 1974.  At the onset of the investigation, Pimental left his position with the LAUSD.

The subsequent investigation revealed a total of 20 victims, 19 children and one adult victim.

The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who filed eight counts of violation of 288.5(a) Penal Code, Continuous Sexual Abuse, and seven counts of 288(a) Penal Code, Lewd Acts Upon A Child, against Pimentel.  

On January 23, 2013, Pimental was arrested by the LAPD, and is being held at LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center.  His bail has been set at $12,000,000.

Anyone with information regarding this matter is asked to call Juvenile Detective Division at 213-486-0570. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should 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 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.

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Suspicious Hotel Fire Claims Life of 69-Year-Old Man

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division Detectives responded to a San Pedro hotel to investigate a possible arson related fire that resulted in the death of a 69-year-old man.

On January 22, 2013, about 3:30 a.m., local firefighters returning from a medical emergency call saw a structure fire at a hotel located in the 1000 block of Palos Verdes Street in San Pedro, before any 911 calls were received.  Firefighters observed that one unit on the first floor was engulfed in flames that were lapping up to the second story.  

The blaze spread rapidly, causing one adult female occupant to jump from the second story due to extreme heat and smoke.  The female suffered an extremity fracture.  Additional occupants were threatening to jump before firefighters swiftly raised ladders to the second story windows and rescued occupants hanging out of them.

Firefighters battled the fire while simultaneously conducting a rapid search of the building, ensuring that all occupants were evacuated.  Several occupants were transported to local hospitals for medical attention.  Among those transported was a male who had sustained severe burns from the fire.  The male, whose name is not being released at this time, pending notification to his family, died from his wounds and was pronounced dead at the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

The cause of the fire remains under active investigation by the Los Angeles Police Departments’, Robbery-Homicide Division and the Los Angeles Fire Departments’ Arson Section.  The fire is being treated as criminal in nature.

Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to call Robbery-Homicide Division, Detectives Louis Zorrilla or Maria Perez at (213) 486-6890, during regular business hours.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.   Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should 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 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.

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Police Arrest Woman for Joining Her Daughter’s Fight with Another Child

Los Angeles: Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Harbor Area have arrested a woman who participated in a fight her daughter arranged with another child.
 
On January 14, 2013, at about 3 p.m., two students from Dana Middle School met in an alley in the 1300 block of West Gaffey Street for a prearranged fight.  The juvenile suspect brought along her mother and aunt, and during the fight, they both took part in the conflict and assaulted a 12-year-old victim.
 
Yesterday, a local resident, 33-year-old Amber Lee Gutierrez, mother of the juvenile suspect, voluntarily went to LAPD’s Harbor Station for an interview with detectives and was arrested for Felony Corporal Injury to a Child.  Her bail has been set at $100,000.
 
Detectives are gathering evidence of the incident, including video footage of the fight from a witness.  As the investigation continues, detectives would like assistance in locating the aunt and the child who took part in the assault.  
 
Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD Harbor Area Detective Division at 310-726-7860.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should 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 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.

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Notes from the January 22, 2025 Weekly Police Commission Meeting

• Police Commission Andrea Ordin said the MLK Day breakfast event held over the weekend was very inspiring and moving.

• Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman thanked the Department in regards to the MLK Day breakfast event and parade.  He was grateful for the opportunity to ride in the parade and said the overall event was very gratifying. 

• Police Commissioner Richard Drooyan thanked the Chief for putting together the MLK Day event and praised fellow Commissioner John Mack for his moving remarks as the keynote speaker at the event.

• Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked all of those who participated and attended the MLK Day event. He policed South LA for most of his career so he felt an appreciation for the area.  He also said the Department currently has 10,010 sworn police officers and 2,871 civilian employees.

• The verbal presentation and update from the Commanding Officer and Community Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) representative regarding community initiated problem solving, crime strategies, and other programs and goals within the Harbor Area was continued to a later date.

• The Department’s verbal presentation and discussion relative to the current status of the backlog of latent fingerprints was given by Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese.  Chief Albanese informed the Board the latent print section was down in personnel numbers.  The section currently has 67 employees where ideal personnel numbers should have them at 96.  He said the Department has not made any progress on the backlog from 2010-11, and the 2012 backlog currently stands at 1,353 cases yet to be analyzed.  Chief Albanese then indicated the station has the capacity to analyze 380 cases per month but receives, on average, 525 new cases per month.  He then indicated all violent crime cases are analyzed with 10 high priority property crime cases from each area division analyzed per month as well.

• The Department’s report, dated January 4, 2013, relative to the approval of request for proposal for performance auditing training was approved.

Hollenbeck Homicide Detectives are investigating the death of 27-year-old Angel Serna Mancilla

Los Angeles: LAPD Hollenbeck Homicide Detectives are asking for the public’s help in locating the suspect who shot and killed a man on Saturday night.

On Saturday, January 19, 2013, around 10:15 p.m., Los Angeles Police Department Hollenbeck patrol officers responded to a shooting call in the 5100 block of Huntington Drive.  When the officers arrived they found a man lying on the sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds.  Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded and transported the victim to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead the following morning.  The investigation revealed that the victim and the suspect had an argument.  The suspect pulled out a handgun, shot Mancilla multiple times, got into a white sedan and drove away from the scene.  There is no further description of the suspect.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Hollenbeck Homicide Detectives Kirkland or Ramirez at 323-342-8953 or 323-342-8969.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477.  Tipsters may also contact Crimes Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S) on most keypads) with cell a phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips.”