David Michael Gross was 51 years old when he died on Wednesday, July 11, 2018, in Long Beach. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds near 3430 Orange Ave. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a case of the Long Beach Police Department.
The killing began with a collision. According to Long Beach police, as reported by the Long Beach Post, Gross was crossing Orange Avenue just north of Wardlow Road around 9:30 p.m. when a white Mazda 3 hatchback struck him, breaking the car's passenger-side mirror. "The driver stopped the car, got out and began arguing with Gross before stabbing him, police said." Officers arriving at the intersection found a man who had been stabbed multiple times in the torso. Paramedics took him to a hospital, where he died. "The suspect then fled northbound on Orange Avenue, in a white vehicle," police said in a news release.
Police said they did not think the driver knew Gross.
The attack appears to have grown out of a chance encounter on a busy street on an ordinary weeknight. In August 2018, police released security camera video of the car and asked for help finding it. They described it as a white Mazda3 hatchback from the 2011 to 2014 model years, which had been missing a bumper before the crash and might have damage to its passenger-side mirror. The Press-Telegram, citing witnesses, described the vehicle as "a white SUV with black wheel rims." A police statement said the area was busy when the attack occurred, and detectives believed "someone may have more information to identify the suspect."
Neighbors described Gross warmly. He was a "gentle giant" who lived on Orange Avenue, yards from where he was killed, and he sometimes cut across Orange to visit the liquor store across the street, according to neighbors who spoke to the Long Beach Post. Others said "He was a friendly man who mostly kept to himself." A memorial was placed near the spot where he was attacked.
In October 2018, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, at the request of Supervisor Janice Hahn, offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of his killer. No arrest was announced.
The intersection of Orange Avenue and Wardlow Road lies in California Heights, a residential neighborhood in north central Long Beach known for its 1920s and 1930s houses and tree-lined streets. Orange Avenue and Wardlow Road are both busy through streets, with small businesses near the corner, which may explain why police believed someone had seen the car or the driver.
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 David Michael Gross could be found in news archives or public records. More than seven years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who was near Orange Avenue and Wardlow Road on the night of July 11, 2018, or who knows of a white Mazda3 hatchback with a missing bumper and a damaged passenger-side mirror from that summer, may hold information 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 contact the Long Beach Police Department's Homicide Detail at 562-570-7244, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
