Analyzing the 38 Homicides Last Year in Long Beach

Based on current information, of the 38 murders committed in Long Beach in 2024, 28, or almost 74 percent resulted in arrests of suspects, whose guilt has yet to be proven in court. The police department claimed a 76.3 percent “clearance rate.” In seven cases, there were no known arrests. “There were 38 murders in 2024 and 26 in 2023. This is an increase of 46%, however, this follows year-over-year reductions in our murder rate and is in line with our five-year average,” said the department statement.

Identity, Gender and Age: Six of the victims or suspects have yet to be identified, one of each because of their youth. Of the victims, four were identity unknown or undisclosed. Nine victims were female, all but one arrestee were male. Age of victims ranged from 16 to 72 (two victims). Most victims were in 30s or 40s. Most arrestees were in their teens or 20s; from 17 to 64.

Locations: Sixteen deaths were in central Long Beach, seven in Belmont Shore or east Long Beach, six each in Bixby Knolls and north Long Beach, two in west Long Beach. Eight murders were in a residence or home invasion; five homeless or in an encampment; two in a hotel; two were in a bar or similar business.

Sixteen arrestees were from out-of-town; 14 from Long Beach.

Circumstances: Four murders were the result of potential domestic violence, one by a neighbor, one by a relative, three from possible gang activity, one was a murder-suicide and one was a suspect being killed by the intended victim. Two murders on two days were linked to the same suspect.

Methods: 25 murders by gunshot, eight murders by stabbing, five by other or unknown methods.

Those Murdered by Shooting

• February 14, Jamie Jones, 36 at 2200 block of Chestnut Ave. Her roommate Damion Videl Castro, 44, of Long Beach was arrested on March 14 and Danielle Mika Payne as accessory.
• February 18, Johnny Santos, 32 at 5300 block of E. Second St.. Christopher Rene Salguero, 24, of San Pedro was arrested the next day.
• March 20, in a possible mistaken gang slaying, street corn vendor 37-year-old Yener Ramirez at 100 block of E. Eagle St. A Rahman Snook Abdallah, 19, and Raylon Deshawn Akers, 23, were arrested; James Arthur Havlicheck, 33, of Lakewood as accessory after the fact.
• March 23, Anthony Valentino Lopez at Seventh St. and Maine Ave. after arguing with Alejandro Lara Delgado, 33, and Xavier Alexandro Vasquez, 37, from Long Beach, who fled, stopped in a felony traffic stop.
• March 26, Briana Soto, 17, at 1100 block of Lewis Ave. Troy Lamar Fox, 34, of Long Beach was arrested. 
• April 4, in another possible mistaken gang shooting, 51-year-old Mario Morales-Moreno at his front yard at the 6100 block of Olive Ave. Taylor Byron Woods, 20, of Bellflower, Tyrell Deshawn Louden, 20, of Indio, Jordan Omarion Stokes, 18, Semaj Lamar Obrien, 21, and Jaimie Tucker, 20, all of Long Beach arrested.
• April 14, Nelson Martinez Gonzalez, 30, at 1600 block of Gaviota Ave. Ahmed Mahmoud, 41, of Long Beach was arrested.
• May 8, Tyrone Parks, 28, at 800 block of Atlantic Ave. Xabian Che Brown, 29, of Temecula arrested.
• May 11, Brooklyn Mack, 20-year-old female at Paramount Blvd. and 57th St. No known arrests.
• May 29, a man shot to death at the 1800 block of Gardenia Ave. No known arrests.
• June 19, Myriam Zaragoza, 43, at 2300 block of Locust Ave. Timothy Campbell, 35, in a dating relationship was arrested.
• June 19, Josue Manuel Matos, 38, at 2600 Block of E Anaheim St. Aaron Garcia, 25, of Long Beach was arrested.
• July 1, Vernont Murray, 39, of Long Beach at Long Beach Blvd. and Victoria St. Damion Joseph Jr., 21, of Palmdale and Eric Calvin, 23, of Lancaster were arrested.
• July 8, two armed men entered a bar at 4900 Long Beach Blvd. to assault a patron, who shot back. One of the armed men, Arthur Rainey III, 38, of Los Angeles died at the scene. Malcolm Gibson, 42, and Michelle Youngblood, 43, Long Beach later arrested.
• July 10, Maxwell Fromm, 72, at 700 block of East First St. His neighbor, John Higginbotham, 64, of Long Beach was arrested.
• July 18, Jaiquan Granberry, 19, at 4105 E. Willow St. Mathew De Diego, 19, of Long Beach was arrested.
• July 23, Jeffrey Poorman, 44, at 5900 block of Lime Ave. The same Mathew De Diego was arrested.
• August 4. In possible gang activity, a 16-year-old boy from Bell at 3300 Block of 67th St. Ronald Guidry, 41, of Torrance arrested in Las Vegas on October 14.
• August 18, Ali Jabbaar Phannix, 43, at 600 block of East South St. Hector Perez, 32, of Lynwood arrested.
• September 16, Shoneka Lars, 51, in a relationship with Donnell Crosby, 71, were both shot at 300 block of East 63rd St. Christopher Barnes, 51, of Long Beach died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
• October 22, Kendell Williams, 36, at 800 block of Alamitos Avenue. Al Gene Fisher, 55, of Hemet involved in a dispute arrested on November 15.
• November 1, a 72-year-old man at his residence at 4700 block of Greenmeadow Rd. with notification of next-of-kin still pending four months later. William Altpeter, 38 arrested in Idyllwild.
• November 13, Shane Camu, 32, inside a parked vehicle at 2200 block of Spaulding St. No known arrests.
• November 22, Justice Lopez, 19, at 900 block of Gaviota Ave. The 17-year-old ex-boyfriend of the victim was arrested.
• November 24, Frank Suggs, 51, at a homeless encampment, 2600 block of E. Ocean Blvd. No known arrests.
• December 10, Dwayne Walton, 32, of Los Angeles at 900 block of Via Carmelitos. Mario Amarion Jennings, 18, of Rancho Cucamonga arrested on January 30, 2025.

Those Murdered by Stabbing

• February 16, Marvin Hadnot Jr., 36, at 1300 block of Long Beach Blvd. Anthony Sean Blake, 38, experiencing homelessness in Long Beach arrested.
• March 3, Adrian Hernandez, 20, after coming to the defense of several young women harassed by a group of men at 5200 block of East Second St. On March 4, Brandon Nguyen, 29, of Huntington Beach was arrested at LAX and booked for murder.
• June 15, Charles Flennory, 53, after an argument in an encampment at Los Angeles River and Long Beach Blvd. No known arrests.
• July 4, Arnold Archivald Garcia Baide, 36, at 1000 block of Stanley Ave. No known arrests.
• August 1, Cristian Varguez, 41 at 800 block of Cherry Avenue. Jonathan Sandoval, 21 of Long Beach was arrested.
• September 15, Alejandra Acosta Butron, 30. of Long Beach at 3500 block of Santa Fe Ave. In a dating relationship, Leonard Lee Rowles Jr., 24, of Long Beach was arrested.
• Oct. 17, unknown man under the 405 Freeway underpass at 3300 block of Long Beach Blvd.

Those Murdered by Other or Unknown Means

• March 1, Priscilla Portenta, 44, who “did not appear to have died from natural causes” at El Dorado Park, San Gabriel River and Willow St. To date, no known I.D. or arrests.
• March 13, Willie Smith, 54, of Long Beach in a structure fire at 5300 Block of Pine Ave. Preston Jabari Prince, 31, of Long Beach. Kevin Anthony Leslie Jr., 27, of Los Angeles were arrested on April 26,
• June 23, Juan Morales, 59, of Wilmington by unknown means at Santa Fe Ave. and Pacific Coast Hwy. His son, Juan Manuel Morales Jr., 35, of Pomona was arrested.
• December 8, body of an unknown woman at Second St. and San Gabriel River. No known arrests.