Larry Betancourt Demelo, 38, of Artesia, California, was shot and killed on September 10, 2016, in Lakewood. Coroner’s records place him in a stairwell outside his girlfriend’s apartment on the 11800 block of Centralia Street when the shooting occurred. He had been talking with another man, then walked out to the street to speak to someone in a vehicle; someone in that car shot him in the torso. Demelo staggered back to the stairwell and collapsed, and was pronounced dead at a hospital at 11:39 p.m.

The man who had been with Demelo in the stairwell left the scene and has not been found for questioning. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots, but no one witnessed the actual shooting, leaving investigators without a known suspect. Items recovered in the stairwell suggested a sales transaction might have been underway, though specifics have not been released. No arrests have been announced and the case remains unsolved.

Anyone who knew Demelo, who was present near Centralia Street that night, or who has information about the vehicle involved is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.