Herman Joseph Kleinhenz was 85 years old when he died on Saturday, April 14, 2001, in Beverly Crest, a hillside neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds at 9621 Cedarbrook Drive. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles Police Department case handled by the West Los Angeles Division.
The coroner's record describes him as a white man. A press release issued by the Los Angeles Police Department the next day gave a few more details. It said that at 3:40 p.m. on April 14, 2001, "the victim, identified as Herman Kleinhenz, was found dead inside his residence by his caretaker." The department said he lived in the 9600 block of the street and noted, "Mr. Kleinhenz was 85 years old."
At first, the release said, "detectives believed the death might have been of natural cause. However, physical evidence found during the preliminary death investigation indicates Mr.
Kleinhenz' death may have been in fact a homicide." The department added that "the motive for this crime has not been determined" and that "there is no information regarding possible suspect(s)." Detectives from West Los Angeles were assigned to the investigation.
The fact that he had a caretaker suggests that he may have needed help with daily life at his age, and that he was likely at home alone for at least part of that day. The release does not say when he was last seen alive, whether anything was missing from the house, or whether there were signs of forced entry. No obituary or memorial page for him could be found, and no later news report about the case appears to exist.
Beverly Crest is a neighborhood in the Santa Monica Mountains, between Beverly Hills and the San Fernando Valley. Its homes sit along narrow, winding streets that climb the canyons and ridges, many of them on large hillside lots with views over the city. It is a quiet, affluent area where houses are often set back from the road and hidden by trees and gates, and where neighbors may not see much of one another. Delivery drivers, gardeners, housekeepers and other workers are often among the few people who notice who comes and goes on such streets.
Homicides in Los Angeles rose sharply in the early 2000s, climbing past 600 in 2002, and detectives carried heavy caseloads. Many killings from those years were never solved.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Herman Joseph Kleinhenz could be found in news archives or public records. More than 24 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. At the time, the LAPD asked anyone with information to contact Detective Ron Phillips at 310-575-8408. Anyone who knew Mr. Kleinhenz, who worked at or visited his home, or who was in the area around Cedarbrook Drive in April 2001 and noticed an unfamiliar person or vehicle, 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).
