Reza Tehrani was 37 years old when he was found dead at about 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 3, 2007, in Santa Monica. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died after sustaining blunt force trauma in the 1500 block of Ocean Avenue. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Santa Monica Police Department case.
According to the Los Angeles Times Homicide Report, Reza was found on a bus bench in Palisades Park along Ocean Avenue. "A passerby flagged down police after seeing him lying on the bench, with blood on his forehead," the Times reported. He was "thought to be homeless," and police believed "he may have been struck by someone." The Times placed the spot in "the part of the park adjacent to the senior center near Broadway." Police asked that anyone who passed through the area early that Sunday morning and may have seen anything come forward.
No suspect was ever named in the published record, and police did not say whether they knew what he had been struck with or when during the night it happened. The fact that he was found in the morning, on a public bench in a well-traveled park, suggests he may have been attacked during the night or in the early hours, when fewer people were around.
Beyond those details, almost nothing about Reza Tehrani has been made public. No obituary, memorial page or family fundraiser could be found for this story. The Times described him as a man of Middle Eastern descent. Searches for his name turned up only other people who share it, including a businessman in Montreal and a journalist in Iran, none of them connected to his death. If he was homeless, he may have been known by sight to people who spent time in the park, to outreach workers or to others living outdoors nearby.
Palisades Park is a long, narrow park that runs along the top of the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean, following Ocean Avenue through downtown Santa Monica. It is known for its palm trees and ocean views, and it lies within walking distance of the Santa Monica Pier and the Third Street Promenade. By day it is busy with walkers, joggers and tourists. At night it has long been a place where some homeless people sleep on benches and lawns.
Hundreds of people are killed in Los Angeles County every year, and a large share of those killings end without an arrest. The death of a man without a home can draw little attention, even when it happens in one of the most visited places in the county.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Reza Tehrani 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 in Palisades Park near Broadway late on June 2 or early on June 3, 2007, or who knew Reza, may hold information that could help. The Times listed Santa Monica police at 310-458-8451, or 310-458-8427 after hours. 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 Santa Monica Police Department, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
