Carlos Arturo Lopez was 31 years old when he died on Friday, Jan. 1, 2010, in Compton, in southern Los Angeles County. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds at 2624 E. Alondra Ave. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department case.
He was a Latino man in his early 30s, and he was killed on the first evening of a new year. The Los Angeles Times Homicide Report gave a short account of what happened, based on information from the coroner's office. Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner, said Lopez "was in a parking lot arguing with his brothers-in-law when another person who was with the group pulled out a knife and stabbed him about 10 times." Lopez was attacked at about 6:34 p.m. and taken to a hospital, where he died at 10:55 p.m., according to Winter.
That account suggests that the people around him that evening were not strangers.
The argument was with relatives by marriage, and the person who used the knife was described as someone who was with the group. The record does not say what the argument was about, how many people were present, or whether the person who stabbed him was a relative, a friend or an acquaintance. It does not say whether that person was ever identified by deputies, or whether anyone fled before help arrived.
Beyond that brief report, almost nothing about Carlos has been made public. No obituary, memorial page or family fundraiser could be found for this story, and no other news outlet appears to have followed up on the case. His name is a very common one, shared by thousands of men across the United States and Latin America, and searches for it turn up only other people, which makes it hard to trace any public record of his life or of the case.
Compton is a city of roughly 95,000 people in the southern part of Los Angeles County, between Los Angeles and Long Beach. It is known for its long history as a working class community, for its place in music and sports, and for the families who have lived there for generations. Alondra Boulevard is a major east to west street that crosses the city, lined in places with shopping centers, small businesses, parking lots and homes. On a holiday evening, parking lots along the boulevard can still draw people coming and going from stores and restaurants.
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 Carlos Arturo Lopez 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. Because the attack happened during an argument among people who knew one another, it is likely that several people saw what happened or later heard about it. Anyone who was in the parking lot in the 2600 block of East Alondra on the evening of Jan. 1, 2010, or who knew Carlos and his family at the time, may hold information that could help investigators. 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 Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
