A woman was stabbed to death early Saturday in North Long Beach and her neighbor was arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.
The stabbing occurred sometime around 6:18 a.m. in an alleyway on the 2900 block of Coolidge Street, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Police say 78-year-old Long Beach resident Paz Veliz was collecting recycables in the alleyway when she was attacked from behind by 31-year-old Kevin Ngo. Ngo, who lives in the same condo complex as Veliz, is accused of stabbing her multiple times and fleeing the scene after hearing nearby residents yelling for help, police said.
Officers arrived soon after where they found Veliz suffering from stab wounds to the upper torso, according to the LBPD.
When Long Beach fire personnel responded to the scene, they declared her dead.
A resident immediately alerted officers that they observed a subject believed to be Ngo running from the area where the Veliz was found, according to the LBPD. Shortly after, officers located Ngo near the Paramount Boulevard exit of the northbound 91 Freeway, police said.
Officers attempted to detain Ngo, who refused to comply with commands, police said.
“A use of force occurred, and the suspect was taken into custody,” police said. “The suspect was taken to a local hospital for his minor injuries and was medically cleared.”
It wasn’t clear what kind of force was used. Police said they seized a knife from Ngo’s arrest location.
After being medically cleared, Ngo was transported to jail where he was booked for one count of murder, police said. His bail was set at $2 million.
At this time, detectives do not have a motive for the stabbing and are investigating the relationship between Veliz and Ngo. No further details were available.
The LBPD has publicly reported 23 homicides this year. Of the 23 homicides, 11 have taken place in North Long Beach.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated with more information from the Long Beach Police Department.
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