On July 11, 2023, at approximately 11:03 p.m., Long Beach police officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 900 block of Maine Avenue. Upon arrival near Loma Vista Drive and Corvo Court, they discovered 26-year-old Canaan Oryema Okatch, a homeless man originally from Kenya, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. Despite immediate medical attention and transportation to a local hospital, Okatch succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.
The preliminary investigation revealed that several male suspects approached Okatch and initiated a physical assault. During the confrontation, one individual discharged multiple gunshots, fatally wounding Okatch. The assailants fled the scene before law enforcement's arrival. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner later confirmed the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the back, classifying the incident as a homicide.
Following a month-long investigation, on August 11, 2023, detectives from the Long Beach Police Department's Special Investigations Division arrested four individuals in connection with Okatch's murder. Two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, were apprehended near the 800 block of Maine Avenue in Long Beach and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and robbery; they are being held without bail. Additionally, 18-year-old Long Beach resident Luis Jesus Hernandez-Perez was arrested near the 400 block of West 9th Street and charged with murder, with bail set at $2 million. In collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force and the Lakewood Police Department, 18-year-old Dangelo Antolin Rodriguez was arrested in Lakewood, Washington. Rodriguez is awaiting extradition to Long Beach, with bail set at $3 million.
Detectives believe the motives behind the attack to be gang-related and robbery-related. The investigation remains active, and authorities continue to seek additional information. Community members with pertinent details are encouraged to contact Homicide Detectives Michael Hutchinson or Lisette Temblador at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips can be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
