Larry Samudio Jr. was 38 years old when he died on Saturday, November 20, 2010, in Highland Park. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds near York Boulevard and Avenue 56. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a case of the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division.
The Los Angeles Times Homicide Report described him as "a 38-year-old Latino" who "was stabbed to death Saturday, Nov. 20, near York Boulevard and Avenue 56." Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office, said Samudio "got into a fight and was stabbed several times about 3:30 a.m." He was taken to a hospital, where he died at 6:13 a.m., nearly three hours later.
In an update in December, LAPD Robbery-Homicide Lt. Gregg Strenk said Samudio was "at a gathering with friends and family when he became involved in a verbal dispute." The argument led to a physical fight between Samudio and several people, and then to the stabbing.
The Times reported that officials had "identified the alleged assailant in connection with the killing: Eriverto Casillas, a 19-year-old Latino." Authorities said "they have a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of murder and are actively searching for him," and asked anyone who knew where he was to call the LAPD.
No later report could be found saying that Casillas was ever arrested, charged or brought to court. A warrant on suspicion of murder is an accusation, not a finding of guilt, and Casillas has not been convicted of any crime in connection with this death. Whether he was ever located, and whether the others involved in the fight were ever identified, is not part of the public record.
Beyond these details, little about Larry Samudio's life has been made public. No obituary, memorial page or family fundraiser that can be tied to him could be found for this story. The fact that he was at a gathering with friends and family suggests that relatives may have been present that night, and some of them may have seen what happened. He surely had people who remember who he was, but none of that has entered the public record.
Highland Park is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles, along the Arroyo Seco between downtown and Pasadena. It is known for its Craftsman houses, its historic districts and the commercial strips along York Boulevard and Figueroa Street, which in the years after 2010 drew a growing number of cafes, bars and shops. Avenue 56 crosses York Boulevard in the heart of that corridor.
Homicides in Los Angeles fell steeply in the late 2000s and early 2010s, yet many killings from those years were never solved.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Larry Samudio Jr. could be found in news archives or public records. More than 15 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who was at the gathering near York Boulevard and Avenue 56 in the early morning of November 20, 2010, or who knows where Eriverto Casillas went after that night, 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 call the Los Angeles Police Department at 877-527-3247 (877-LAPD-24-7), or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
