Omar Medina was 27 when he was shot and killed on February 22, 2020, in the 12700 block of Montague Street in Pacoima, Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner ruled the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds. Neighbors and family described Medina as a vibrant, beloved person; his death added to concerns about violence in the neighborhood.

Investigators reported Medina was shot multiple times. LAPD detectives canvassed the area, interviewed witnesses and reviewed surveillance footage. Two men, Timothy John Cook and Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon, were arrested in connection with the case. Cook, 52 at the time, was charged with second-degree murder; prosecutors said motive involved personal grievances and an intent to access money Medina had received in a legal settlement. Cook denied killing Medina but admitted to steps to conceal the body. A jury later convicted Cook of second-degree murder and imposed a sentence of 56 years to life; the court ordered restitution to Medina’s family.

The jury deadlocked on charges against Spurgeon, producing a mistrial; no new trial date has been scheduled. Medina’s sister, Alicia Villegas, has spoken about the family’s pain and their desire for healing. Did anyone in Pacoima see or hear anything around Montague Street on February 22, 2020, that could help fill remaining gaps in this case?