Elmer Rodriguez was 25 years old when he died on Friday, Dec. 25, 2009, in the West Adams district of Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds at 5468 Blackwelder St. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles Police Department Southwest Division case.
He was a young Latino man, and he died in the first hours of Christmas Day. Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office, told the Los Angeles Times that Rodriguez "was attending a backyard Christmas party when a fight broke out." According to Winter, Rodriguez "attempted to intervene in the fight, and someone stabbed him several times." He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:10 a.m.
That short account suggests that Elmer was not part of the original quarrel, and that he was hurt while trying to stop it. It also means that he was killed at a gathering where many people were present.
The record does not say who was fighting, what the fight was about, how many guests were at the party, or whether the person who stabbed him was a guest, a neighbor or someone who arrived later. It does not say whether anyone was detained that night or whether detectives ever identified a suspect.
Beyond that report, almost nothing about Elmer 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 reported on his death. His name is shared by many men, among them a professional baseball pitcher and people in other states who appear in news and court records, and none of them is the man who died on Blackwelder Street. He surely had family and friends who remember him, but none of that has entered the public record.
West Adams is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, southwest of downtown, known for its historic houses and tree lined streets. Many of its blocks hold early twentieth century homes, including Craftsman bungalows, alongside newer apartment buildings. The neighborhood has long been home to working families, and on blocks like Blackwelder Street, holiday parties often take place in backyards, where relatives, friends and neighbors gather late into the night.
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 Elmer Rodriguez could be found in news archives or public records. More than 16 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Because he was killed at a party, it is likely that a number of people saw the fight or know who was involved. Anyone who attended the Christmas gathering in the 5400 block of Blackwelder Street on the night of Dec. 24 and 25, 2009, or who heard talk afterward about what happened there, may hold information that could help detectives. 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).
