Long Beach police at the scene of a deadly shooting near 59th Street and Lime Avenue on July 23, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

Police said a 19-year-old shot his friend to death in a Long Beach hotel and then committed a second murder several days later before detectives arrested him.

The first slaying occurred on the afternoon of July 18 at the Extended Stay America hotel at 4105 E. Willow Street, just across from the Long Beach Police Department’s East Division substation.

Police said the teenage gunman was staying in one of the rooms with his friend when he shot him to death. Detectives are still trying to determine a motive. They identified the victim as 19-year-old Jaiquan Granberry.

The gunman fled before officers could arrive, and on July 23, police said, he killed another man he knew in North Long Beach.

Support facts not fear


News happens fast. In the midst of crime, disasters and other breaking news, the Long Beach Post has reporters and photographers who run to the scene to bring you reliable information. If you value this vital community resource, support it with a tax-deductible donation.


That victim, whom police identified as 44-year-old Jeffrey Poorman, was in his garage in the 5900 block of Lime Avenue when he was shot to death, according to the LBPD.

The motive for that slaying is also under investigation.

About seven hours later, police were able to arrest the suspect in the Lime Avenue killing, whom they identified as Mathew De Diego, a 19-year-old resident of Long Beach.

After taking him into custody, investigators were able to tie him to the earlier shooting as well, according to the LBPD.

He was being held on $3 million bail, police said.

Jeremiah Dobruck is executive editor of the Long Beach Post where he oversees all day-to-day newsroom operations. In his time working as a journalist in Long Beach, he’s won numerous awards for his investigative reporting and editing. Before coming to the Post in 2018, he wrote for publications including the Press-Telegram, Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times. Reach him at [email protected] or @jeremiahdobruck on Twitter.