Los Angeles, Ca
Alleged check forger, jewelry thief targeted elderly in Southern California
![Alleged check forger, jewelry thief targeted elderly in Southern California Alleged check forger, jewelry thief targeted elderly in Southern California](https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/08/Isela-22Izzy22-Ruiz-1.jpg?w=900)
A 34-year-old woman from the harbor region of Los Angeles has been arrested and charged with four felonies after allegations she was stealing from elderly clients whom she worked for as a caregiver, officials announced earlier this week.
In a news release, detectives with the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department say Isela “Izzy” Ruiz, a resident of Wilmington, forged checks stolen from elderly victims, cashed them and stole jewelry from their homes.
An investigation into the 34-year-old led to her arrest on Aug. 18 in the city of Carson, police said.
The following day, authorities at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Ruiz with four felony counts in connection with the investigation.
Investigators believe there are likely more victims and ask anyone with information about this case to contact PVEPD Det. Joe Marino at 310-378-4211 by email at jmarino@pvestates.org.
Ruiz was booked at the Palos Verdes Estates PD jail where she’s being held on $195,000 bail. Authorities added that a “probation hold” was placed on the 24-year-old by the L.A. County Probation Department.
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Los Angeles, Ca
West Hollywood business owner offers reward to find burglars after 3rd break in
![West Hollywood business owner offers reward to find burglars after 3rd break in West Hollywood business owner offers reward to find burglars after 3rd break in](https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/08/West-Hollywood-bike-shop.jpg?w=900)
A business owner whose West Hollywood bike shop has been broken into three times in the past three weeks is offering a reward to anyone who can find the burglars.
Bikes and Hikes LA Tours is a popular shop located on the 7700 block of Santa Monica Boulevard.
Unfortunately, the shop has also become a popular target for a pair of thieves and owner Danny Roman is sick of it.
Roman said his shop has been burglarized three times in less than a month and is now offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects.
The most recent break-in occurred Tuesday morning when two thieves were seen on surveillance video using a hammer to gain entry into the shop.
The suspects left with an estimated $25,000 in merchandise but also left behind a vape pen and a lock Roman is hoping can be used as evidence.
He told KTLA that he has been in contact with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department asking for increased patrols and a detective to review the security footage.
Roman said he plans to buy a more sophisticated surveillance and security system to keep his store safe.
Los Angeles, Ca
Woman in Southern California goes on violent rampage against firefighter, police
![Woman in Southern California goes on violent rampage against firefighter, police Woman in Southern California goes on violent rampage against firefighter, police](https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/08/Woman-attacks-L.A.-firefighter-7.jpg?w=900)
A bizarre and explosive scene unfolded when a woman dressed in black scrubs was seen screaming and taking shots at a Los Angeles County firefighter while he was inside his vehicle Wednesday in Gardena.
According to officials with L.A. County Fire, personnel were called to the scene on Manhattan Beach Boulevard just after 12 p.m. on reports of a traffic collision.
In footage of the incident obtained by KTLA, the woman, who was seemingly outraged, is seen yelling and screaming at the firefighter behind the wheel of a department SUV.
The situation quickly escalates into a physical attack as the woman slaps the public safety officer, at one point balling up her first and pulling back like she was about to punch him in the face.
Frank Rojas, who lives on the street and witnessed the incident, pulled his phone out and recorded the tense situation.
“I Just hear chaos ensue,” he told KTLA. “I guess it was a fire officer and the officer was trying to deescalate and calm her down.
Asked what the woman was yelling at the firefighter about, Rojas said it was mostly just curse words and accusing the firefighter of following her.
The woman, later identified as 36-year-old Inglewood resident Jessica Chavez, jumped into her vehicle and started driving around and around until officers with the Gardena Police Department, who came to assist the firefighter, say the 36-year-old deliberately slammed her car into an undercover officer’s vehicle and the L.A. County SUV.
The impact of the crash tore the rear driver’s side tire off the undercover officer’s vehicle.
Fortunately, no one was seriously injured during the incident.
Chavez was arrested and is facing charges of assaulting a firefighter, assault with a deadly weapon and driving under the influence, authorities said.
Los Angeles, Ca
Man, 73, suspected of killing 3 Southern California women in 1977 pleads not guilty
![Man, 73, suspected of killing 3 Southern California women in 1977 pleads not guilty Man, 73, suspected of killing 3 Southern California women in 1977 pleads not guilty](https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/08/Warren-Luther-Alexander-1.jpg?w=900)
A 73-year-old suspected serial killer from Mississippi extradited to Ventura County earlier this month in connection with three strangulation murders nearly a half century ago pled not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday, officials announced.
In February 2023, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit began re-examining the deaths of the three women – Kimberly Carol Fritz, Velvet Ann Sanchez and Lorraine Ann Rodriguez – each of whom was killed in 1977, the Ventura County DA’s Office said.
While the exact circumstances surrounding the women’s deaths were not disclosed by the DA, an article published in 1978 in the Utah publication The Daily Herald stated that the three women were prostitutes who were strangled with their own underwear.
Sanchez was 31 when she was found dead in an Oxnard motel on Sept. 9, 1977, the Daily Herald reported; the 18-year-old Fritz was found in a motel room on May 29 of that year and Rodriguez, then 22, was found dead near a highway in Oxnard on Dec. 27, but the Herald reported that investigators believed she was also killed at a motel and dumped there.
After decades and decades of investigation, detectives were eventually able to identify the suspect as Warren Luther Alexander, a resident of Diamondhead, Mississippi.
Alexander was extradited to Southern California on Aug. 6 from Surry County, North Carolina, where he was awaiting prosecution for a 1992 cold case murder.
The 73-year-old has been charged by the Ventura County District Attorney’s office with three counts of first-degree murder for the 1977 strangulations.
He is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court again on Aug. 30 and is being held in the Ventura County jail without bail.
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