The tragic shooting and murder of five people under the 405 Freeway last weekend has rocked Long Beach, as information is hard to come by and a motive is so far non-existent.
But the Press-Telegram reports today that two of the bodies have been identified, and that one of the victims was not homeless. Pamela Hale-Burns of the P-T tells us:
According to her family, Vanessa Malaepule, 34, of Carson had been visiting her boyfriend in the area — which some think is a homeless encampment — when she was killed. A second victim was identified as Lorenzo Perez Villicana, 43.
There has been some disrecepancy over Villicana’s age, which The District Weekly has followed nicely, here. But the real questions that no one has been able to answer yet is, why?
That conclusion may be harder to reach than expected for several reasons: the New York Times says that freeway noise may have muffled the sound of the shootings, and the Associated Press says that weekend rain may have washed away crucial evidence.
The site was known as a popular hangout spot for the victims, and the Associated Press does not shy away from the possibility that drugs were the reason, revealing some chilling and heartbreaking details in the process. From AP reporter Thomas Watkins:
Relatives of Malaepule said she was the mother of six children and was not homeless but liked to hang out at the spot. They said they did not know why.
Her uncle Ilager McMoore said police told him that his niece was found beneath the body of her boyfriend, as though he had tried to shield her from the gunfire. McMoore said he suspects the boyfriend may have been involved in a gang dispute.
Tippi Briggs, a nearby resident, said she had seen an increase in what she suspected was drug activity in the area. “You see people drive up in their nice cars, go in there, then come out after a couple of minutes,” she said. “Some are stumbling.”
Police are searching for the anonymous caller who alerted them to the scene, and are asking the public for help. Anyone with information should contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Mark McGuire or Hugo Cortes at (562) 570-7244.
By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor