Two Saturday Homicides - National Guard Veteran Killed at 64th & Vermont, Woman Stabbed to Death on 83rd near Vermont

When LAPD officers responded Saturday afternoon to a disturbance call of a man with a knife at 83rd Street near Vermont Avenue, residents told them they had heard a woman screaming from a second floor apartment.

When officers went to the apartment they found a black woman, approximately 40 years old, bleeding badly from a knife wound to her stomach  She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A black man, 35-40, was  arrested and a bloody knife recovered.

No further details were available.

Earlier on Vermont Avenue near 64th Street, Charles Nevils, 33, was hanging out with several friends when he was shot. Neviles stumbled into Bottoms Up Liquor Store and died. 

His distraught family told KNBC news reporter Kate Lawson and KTLA's Ellina Abovian that Neviles was a good family man and veteran who had served nine years in the national guard.

"I don't understand the reason why they took my baby from me," his mother, Mira Bables, said as she stood near yellow police tape at the scene. She described Neviles as "a good father to his girls," ages 10 and 12, and said "he was a good son to me."

Adding to the sadness, Neviles deceased man's wife had died of cancer in 2009, the family said. 

"I would like for the world to know he was a very, very, very good person," said his sister Valerie Neviles.

Added Quintivia Abner, his niece: "He was a good father. He was a good uncle. So for somebody to kill him like this out here in the street wasn't right. We need justice."

Sorry for the cold nature of this brief report of two taken lives - and that local TV news was used,  but it is the only information available at the present time as this reporter is out of town. Still, I wanted to do something as these two stories will soon be forgotten and they shouldn't be. 

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Searching For The Artist Known As "T. Denver"

On two recent morning walks to Mozza to pick up a car left overnight, Nancy and I passed a closed antique store which prominently displayed a colorful, modern oil painting of a table laden with glasses, papers, and wine bottles. Our kind of table.  Nancy was smitten. 

Tuesday afternoon, I went there alone and - after unsuccessfully attempting to Armenian the owner down - bought the painting. I took it home, put it on the living room floor, propped up against a chair. Even set there, it looked good. (Check below) 

Nancy came home early and was thrilled to see it. She has an eclectic collection of modern art, but nothing, in my artful opinion, to compare. She tried to see who signed this fine work. I got out the flashlight and the magnifying glass. The best she could do was "T. Dznv" followed by a scribble.  Nothing on the web. I took a turning with the magnifying glass. Maybe that "Z" was an "E", I told her. 

"Could it be T. Denver?", she asked.

Yeah, it could. It was. We looked more on the net and found an identical signature on a painting.  But, not much more. He - or she -  was ( hopefully still is )  a 20th century European, had a painting sold at a 2004 Christie's auction and has a painting hanging at one of the Oxford University hospitals in England.. I emailed them, but got an out of office 'til April 19th reply. A webster said T. Denver might be a name for Itzchak Tarkay, an artist born in Serbia.  Another theory was that "T. Denver" was a joint effort by several painters designed to mean "starving artist".  

So a public plea. Anyone know anything about this "T Denver"?  Best answer gets four pizzas from Mozza.  T. Denver Pizza Contest expires May 5.  Ideally, the actual T. Denver checks in.

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Mozza's Chi Spacca Dominates 2 Rounds At Pebble Beach Invitational Event

Mozza's Chi Spacca dominated the competition at the Pebble Beach Food and Wine event  with two performances so commanding, so masterful they evoked memories of Tiger Woods' 2000 U.S. Open victory here when he bested the others by a record 15 strokes.

Thursday evening, well-positioned near the front of Roy's at the Inn at Spanish Bay, the Chi Spacca crew. led by chef Ryan DeNicola, Kim "Grumpy" Trac, Cameron Miles Trombone, and Sinta* took an early lead and never even bothered to look back. 

Of the 975 guests who sampled the cinnamon-dusted pancetta-wrapped pork sausage spiedinos with lemon caper butter and bay leaves, 974 proclaimed it the DON (Dish of Night). The lone dissenter, an obnoxious 13-year-old boy whose parents refused to let him bring a prototype Play Station 5 to the Inn at Spanish Bay. voted for the booth of Kentucky Fried Chicken 

Friday night, a dinner for 60 was heralded by all as the DOW ( dinner of weekend). It featured octo, tomahawk pork chops and 50 oz. steaks and a chocolate caramel tart. Wine was procured by Sarah Clarke, The wine was drunk by Nancy and Kate Elizabeth Green 

It was a record  27th time that the food of Nancy Silverton dominated a food event   The only other chefs to have more than 10 victories are Aguste Escoffier (10), Fernand Point (11), Fredy Girardet (13) and Colonel Harlan Sanders (14).

* Sinta is actually Sinta Nikol Villero, but is known simply as "Sinta"

1 Dead, 1 Critical After Easter Morning Shooting at 84th & Main, 1 Dead in Saturday Attack at 87th & Flower

(UPDATED)
Two weekend shootings, including one Sunday morning at 7 a.m., left at least two young men dead and two others in critical condition. 

The first attack, occurred Saturday night at 9:10 p.m. at 87th and Flower Street, near the western border of the Harbor Freeway when a black man, 22 was shot. He made it a block away to 87th and Figueroa where he was found down, but alive. However, he was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. 

The Sunday morning shooting occurred five blocks away at 84th and Main streets, one of the city's hottest neighborhoods. Multiple suspects opened fire on two black males, both age 20. They were struck multiple times in the upper torso. 

One victim was transported to California Hospital, the other to Harbor/UCLA Medical Center. Both were in initially listed in critical condition. However, word sadly just came out that the man taken to California Hospital died of his injuries. 

The shooters fled in a unknown vehicle.

Anyone with information can anonymously call LAPD's Criminal Gag Homicide Division at (323) 786-5100.

Would-Be Robber Shot To Death By Taco Stand Worker In Green Meadows

JUST IN

Friday night, minutes before midnight, a 19-year-old man armed with a gun was attempting to rob a taco stand at Century Boulevard and San Pedro Streets in Green Meadows when a an employee pulled gun of his own and shot him to death.

The preliminary investigation suggests the suspected robber accompanied by two other suspects were taken by surprise when one of two taco stand employees, a 40 year old man, fired multiple rounds, striking the 19-year-old in the chest. The wounded alleged robber was transported to Harbor UCLA Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. 

The two other robbery suspects ran off. 

The employee turned himself in at the LAPD's Southeast Division station. No further information was available at this time.  

Christine Larroucau, Pizzeria Mozza Manager, Becomes Youngest Person Ever Awarded Three Michelin Stars

On what just happens to be her 26th birthday, Christine Larroucau made restaurant history Thursday when the fabled Michelin Guide awarded her their treasured ”Three Star” rating making her the youngest person ever to be so honored in the revered guides 90-year existence..

The Michelin Guide, which only nine years ago began awarding stars to so-called “front of the house” restaurant owners and managers, said in a press release that Larroucau was honored because “she possess that rare quality of having a commanding presence on the floor, an incredible smile, a vast knowledge of food and wine and the ability to function smoothly with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.”

The previous record for youngest person to win the coveted three stars was Massimillano (Max) Alajmo, chef at Le Calandre in Sarmeola di Rubano near Padua, ItalyMax was 28 when he was so honored on Nov. 27, 2002 and continues to have the three stars.

Former co-workers of Larroucau, a former track star at USC,  were thrilled with the news and said it was a testament to her resolve to thrive.

“Under the tutelage of David Rosoff, Christine climbed the ladder from simple floor manager to GM of pizzeria and along the way she survived beating after beating,” said ex-Osteria Mozza server Pat Asanti, now a televisions star. “But, Rosoff could not knock her out. And now this. Congratulations, Christine.”

When news broke of the, honor  Larroucau was near the La Brea Tar Pits changing four flat tires on her SUV, three of which were being investigated as “of a suspicious origin,” according to auto theft detective Sal LaBarbera of the LAPD. “I heard she got some award that maybe someone else didn’t think she shoulda got,” said LaBarbera, a former homicide detective. “We are looking hard at a few individuals in that world. That restaurant world is bizarre. I miss the gang killings.”   

Across the nation in the heavily Chlean, French and Puerto Rican neighborhood of Coral Gables in Miami, Larroucau's parents, Marissa and Kiko, threw a lavish block party to celebrate heir daughter's prestigious honor. An estimated 250,000 people showed up including Michelle Bacehelet, the president of Chile, and Alejandro Garcia Padilla, governor of Puerto Rico who both flew in on a moment's notice for the festive occasion.

"Marissa and I are very proud of Christine and her award," Kiko Larroucau told the crowd.  "I only have one problem. Why the hell wasn't my daughter given four stars?"  

Back in Los Angeles, co-workers at Pizzeria as well as Osteria Mozza, Chi Spacca and Mozza2Go, the group that comprises “The Corner” at Highland and Melrose, celebrated Larroucau’s accomplishment with chocolate cupcakes and an off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday" led by chef/owner Nancy Silverton.

In her honor, they plan to hold a contest tonight in which anyone – employee or customer - who can properly pronounced her last name will get a free pizza.

Gang Member Gunned Down Monday Night at West Adams Blvd. and Halldale Ave.

 (NOTE- Because I am out of town, the details of the following shooting are very limited)

A 30-year-old black street gang member was assassinated Monday evening while he was standing near West Adams Boulevard and Halldale Avenue.

The word "assassination", not normally used for most gang-related killings, seems appropriate here as the attackers who approached in a gray or white pickup at 6:48 p.m., , were wearing some type of masks, indicating a planned hit. The victim, whose gang affiliation was not immediately known, was shot in the heart. He was pronounced dead at the scene moments later.

The killing was at least the 9th of year in LAPD's Southwest Division. Only the notorious 77th has more.

Sunday Daytime Shootings in Los Angeles Leave At least One Dead, Two Wounded

The drastic rise of homicides in the LAPD's Southwest Division continued in the early morning hours of Sunday when a man was shot to death near Coliseum Street and La Brea Avenue.

Shortly after 4:30 a.m., a 36-year-old black male was driving southbound on La Brea when a burgundy vehicle (no further information currently available) followed him and opened fire. 

The victim was struck in the back and was transported to Centinela Hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

The killing was at least the 8th of the years in the Southwest Division. In 2015, there were no homicides in the division in the first two month of the year,

In the neighboring 77th Street Division, a man was shot four times near Western Avenue and 70th Street minutes after high noon. The victim, a male black age 37, had been involved in verbal altercation at Florence Avenue and Western with the suspect, a male black of unknown age. The suspect left the scene, but returned to the area of 70th St. and Western, approached the victim who was in a brown, 4-door sedan, and opened fired. . The victim sustained  four gunshot wounds to the upper torso. He was transported to California Hospital in a serious, yet stable condition. 

Another shooting in the 77th occurred at 10 a.m. on 84th Street and Broadway when a male black in his mid-20s, was wounded in the forearm.  The victim walked in to 77th Station suffering from the wound and stated that he was in the passenger seat of his friend's vehicle when a silver Infinity approached and stopped. The suspect, also a black male in his mid 20s, exited the passenger side of the Infinity and fired 5 shots at the victim. The victim was transported to California Hospital in stable condition.

1 Dead, 10 Injured During Sunday Shooting in Compton

At approximately 1:35 a.,m Sunday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the 900 Block of West Victoria Street in Compton, to investigate the circumstances surrounding a shooting with multiple reported injuries.

Upon their arrival on Victoria near Wilmington Avenue, deputies discovered there was a large party with numerous gunshot victims at the location.  One victim, a male black adult, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

Eight other victims sustained gunshot wounds and were also transported to local hospitals where they are currently being treated. Two others were also injured, but apparently did not require hospitalization. 

The investigation is on-going. The homicide detective on the case, Det. Richard Tomlin, was unavailable for comment. 

Anyone with information can call the L.A. County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 895-5500 

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