Gregory William McKinney was 51 years old when he died on Saturday, July 28, 2007, in Westwood. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died after sustaining blunt force trauma at 1360 Westwood Boulevard. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles Police Department case handled by the West Los Angeles Division.
The Homicide Report entry for his death was a single sentence drawn from coroner's records, but his family published an obituary in the Pasadena Star-News that tells much more about who he was. Greg, as he was known, was born on April 1, 1956, "April's Fools Day, he always mentioned," in Los Angeles, and was raised in Pasadena. He graduated from UCLA, and "a proud Bruin he stayed close to his alma mater and Pasadena."
His family described him as "an avid dog lover and environmentally conscious," a man who "always took the opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of recycling." In the last few years of his life, the obituary said, he lived with and cared for his ailing mother, Eleanor McKinney, then 90, who survived him. He was also survived by his sister, Alice, his brother-in-law, Klaus "Dutch" Schulze, nieces, nephews and cousins.
The obituary was candid. "Greg faced many challenges in his life and sometimes was not able to conquer them," it said. "He died unexpectedly on July 28, 2007 from the irresponsible actions of others. In forgiveness we show strength and therein find peace." The family did not say what those actions were. His cremated remains, along with those of all his beloved dogs, were to be planted with a tree in the Sequoia National Forest, and a memorial service was held on August 11, 2007, in Pasadena.
The record does not say how he was hurt, whether one person or several were involved, or whether he died at the scene or later. His family's words suggest they knew at least something about what happened, but none of those details have been made public. His name is shared with an actor who died in 1998, which crowds search results.
Westwood is the West Los Angeles neighborhood best known as the home of UCLA. Westwood Village, just south of the campus, is a walkable district of shops, restaurants and historic movie theaters, and Westwood Boulevard runs south from the university through busy blocks of stores, restaurants and apartment buildings. It is a place where students, families and workers are on the street at most hours, and where many businesses face the sidewalk.
Homicides in Los Angeles fell steeply in the late 2000s and early 2010s, yet many killings from those years were never solved. The death of a UCLA graduate in a neighborhood so closely tied to his school received no news coverage that could be found.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Gregory William McKinney could be found in news archives or public records. More than 18 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who was near the 1300 block of Westwood Boulevard in late July 2007, or who knew Greg, 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 call the Los Angeles Police Department at 877-527-3247 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
