Suspect Held in Death by Flashlight Beating
A resident of a South Los Angeles boardinghouse was captured by his neighbors after he allegedly beat the building’s manager to death with a flashlight early Sunday, police said.
Urbana Rivas, 44, allegedly attacked Joseph Ortega, 67, in the boarding home in the 600 block of West 40th Place about 12:15 a.m., Detective Richard Marks said.
Other residents heard Ortega’s screams and called police, Marks said. When Rivas returned to his room, they kept him from leaving through the door or a back window until police arrived.
Rivas was booked on suspicion of murder and was held without bail Sunday at the Southwest station jail, Marks said.
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