Norman Michael Jae Jr. was 78 years old when he died on Thursday, March 28, 2002. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died after sustaining blunt force trauma at 5467 San Fernando Road, an address the Los Angeles Times Homicide Report lists as Glendale. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles Police Department Northeast Division case.
The coroner's record describes him as a white man of 78. Unlike many victims from that year, he left a clear trace in the public record. An obituary published in the Glendale News-Press on April 5, 2002, described him as "a longtime Glendale resident" who "died March 28, 2002, in a Burbank hospital." That detail suggests he was taken to a hospital after he was hurt and died there, though the obituary says nothing about how he was injured.
According to the obituary, he was born May 24, 1923, in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania. "During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army under General Patton, and received a purple heart and the Silver Star." He later became "the owner of Jae of California, in Los Angeles," and for many years "he was involved with youth baseball at the local and national level." He was survived by his wife, Sue, a son, two daughters, grandchildren and a sister. Graveside services were held at Grand View Memorial Park in Glendale. A death notice published the next year shows that his son, N. Michael Jae III, died on June 3, 2003, and described him as the "beloved son of Sue Jae and the late Norman Jae, Jr."
Nothing in the obituary mentions a crime, and no news report about his death could be found. The record does not say whether he was attacked, struck by a vehicle or hurt in some other way, whether anyone saw what happened, or whether a suspect was ever identified.
San Fernando Road runs along the railroad tracks through the northeast side of Los Angeles and into Glendale, past warehouses, auto shops, small factories and older commercial buildings. The fact that LAPD Northeast Division handled the case, even though the address is listed as Glendale, suggests the location may have been on the Los Angeles side of the city line, in an area such as Atwater Village or Glassell Park. Glendale itself is a large city of hillside neighborhoods and busy commercial districts just north of downtown Los Angeles, and it was his home for many years.
Homicides in Los Angeles rose sharply in the early 2000s, climbing past 600 in 2002, and detectives carried heavy caseloads. Many killings from those years were never solved.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Norman Michael Jae Jr. could be found in news archives or public records. More than 23 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who knew Norman Jae, who did business with Jae of California, or who was near San Fernando Road in late March 2002 may remember something that could help. 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.
