Victim, alleged assailant identified in Beverly Grove stabbing
LOS ANGELES - An investigation continues and neighbors in Beverly Grove remain shaken up after a 31-year-old man was stabbed to death in his own backyard earlier this week. The suspect was later found dead about a block away.
Neighbors said the once safe neighborhood has turned into a hotbed of crime after a homeless encampment formed in the area.
On Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call in the 6600 block of Maryland Drive, located near the intersection of South San Vicente Boulevard and Sixth Street, just after 4:30 p.m. Later in the investigation, LAPD found a person stabbed to death in the area a little after 5:45 p.m.
"It’s terrifying. I want to move. I have loved this neighborhood until this last year. I have seen crime skyrocket, it’s scary to go about yourself," said neighbor Krista Parkinson.
On the afternoon of March 29, the department received 911 calls from neighbors who reported trespassing and that a man was jumping fences, screaming and going through multiple backyards in the area.
The suspect was questioned and was then released by officers, the department said.
Witnesses said the suspect returned hours later with a knife.
While searching for him, they found a man who appeared to be in his 30s, stabbed to death.
"We made contact with the individual that was reportedly trespassing. He was not committing a crime at that point and did not appear to be an imminent threat to himself or others," said LAPD Chief Michel Moore.
The victim was identified by the Los Angeles County coroner's office as 31-year-old Gabriel Donnay of Los Angeles.
After finding Donnay's body, police set up a perimeter around parts of the neighborhood in hopes of finding the suspect.
Officers later found the suspect a block away from the deadly crime scene where he barricaded himself in someone’s backhouse. An LAPD SWAT team deployed tear gas, but the suspect did not come out. Instead, he was found dead. Investigators believe he may have died by suicide.
The alleged assailant was identified by the coroner's office as 33-year-old Enoch Conners of Los Angeles.
One witness said they believed Conners was experiencing homelessness.
Investigators have not found a connection between the suspect and the victim and believe it was a horrific random act of violence.
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line)
Click here for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.
Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.