Russell Bounds was 49 years old when he was found dead on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, in Lynwood. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died after sustaining blunt head trauma at Carlin Avenue and Thorson Avenue. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department case.
His body was discovered only because neighbors noticed something wrong. "Residents called the city about a foul odor, and city workers discovered the remains," sheriff's homicide Det. B. House, who handled the investigation, told the Los Angeles Times. Authorities were called and arrived about 3 p.m. Coroner's officials said the body was decomposed when it was found and that Bounds was later identified by his fingerprints.
House said the killing did not appear to be gang-related and that investigators were pursuing several leads. No arrests had been made, and officials released no further details. "Anything is possible at this point," House said.
Even his basic description was uncertain. Sheriff's homicide officials identified him as a black man, while the coroner's office listed him as white, a discrepancy The Times noted in its report. The state of the remains, and the fact that fingerprints were needed to confirm who he was, suggest that he may have lain undiscovered for some time before he was found, though the record does not say how long.
Beyond those facts, almost nothing about Russell Bounds has been made public. No obituary, memorial page or family fundraiser could be found for him, and no other news outlet appears to have reported on his death. Searches for his name turn up other men named Russell Bounds in Maryland, Illinois, Texas and elsewhere, none of whom can be tied to the man found in Lynwood. He surely had family, friends or acquaintances who remember who he was, but none of that has entered the public record.
Lynwood is a small, densely populated city in southeast Los Angeles County, bordered by communities such as Compton and South Gate. It is largely residential, with blocks of modest single-family homes and apartment buildings, and the Century Freeway crosses the city. Lynwood contracts with the Sheriff's Department for law enforcement, which is why a sheriff's homicide detective took the case. Carlin Avenue and Thorson Avenue are residential streets in the city.
Hundreds of people are killed in Los Angeles County every year, and a large share of those killings end without an arrest.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Russell Bounds could be found in news archives or public records. More than 14 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who lived near Carlin Avenue and Thorson Avenue in Lynwood in late 2011, who knew a 49-year-old man named Russell who stopped being seen in the weeks before early December, or who noticed anything unusual in that area, may hold information that could help detectives. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a vehicle seen nearby or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
