Ila Ali Packman was 39 years old when he was stabbed to death on the evening of Thursday, June 24, 2010, in Hollywood. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds at 1607 N. El Centro Ave. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles Police Department case, investigated by its Robbery-Homicide Division.
Packman was working as a volunteer clerk at Hollywood Holistic II, a medical marijuana dispensary between Sunset and Hollywood boulevards. He was last seen smoking a cigarette outside the building at about 8:30 p.m., LAPD Deputy Chief David Doan said. At about 9:05 p.m., another member of the dispensary's staff found him dead inside. He had been stabbed multiple times, "including one to the neck," Doan said.
There was no forced entry, no weapon was found, and Doan said Packman may have let the attacker in through the rear door.
The killer or killers took marijuana worth about three thousand dollars and the shop's surveillance recording equipment. "What we know is Ila Packman is dead, the medical marijuana is missing, there was no forced entry, the camera equipment is gone, and that is all we know," Doan said. "This is not about medical marijuana. It is about a young man who was senselessly murdered during the course of a robbery." Earlier the same day, a worker was shot to death in a robbery at an Echo Park dispensary, but police said that killing was unrelated.
In August 2010 the City and County of Los Angeles offered a $55,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. His father, Joel Packman, flew in from Florida to appeal for help. "I'm asking everyone in the medical marijuana community -- don't be afraid," he said. He told reporters that his son, originally from Philadelphia, had lived in Hollywood since 1995, had a small part in the 2000 film "Steal This Movie," and later worked behind the scenes as a grip while pursuing art and photography. "He was full of life," his father said. "He was someone who was a gentle soul."
In November 2012, Robbery-Homicide detectives released surveillance video, recovered from a nearby location, showing two men they suspected in the killing, in the hope that someone would recognize them.
Hollywood is one of the best-known neighborhoods in the world, home to the Walk of Fame, historic theaters and studios. Away from the tourist strip it is a dense mix of apartment buildings, small businesses and nightlife. El Centro Avenue is a short street running between Sunset and Hollywood boulevards, and Doan noted that a busy fitness club stood across the street.
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 Ila Ali Packman 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 on El Centro Avenue on the evening of June 24, 2010, or who recognizes the two men in the 2012 surveillance video, may hold information that could help. At the time, detectives asked callers to contact Robbery-Homicide Division at 213-486-6890. 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).
