The Board of Supervisors accepted $10,000 in reward money from the family of one of two men shot to death at a gas station in Compton and updated rewards in two unrelated fatal shootings.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas originally recommended a $10,000 reward in the case of the Compton shooting.
At about 9 p.m. on May 15, 24-year-old Richard Williams was driving out of a 76 gas station in the 1200 block of South Wilmington Avenue with two friends—23-year-old Boston Farley and 26-year-old Brandon Upchurch—when a white pickup drove up and blocked their path, Ridley-Thomas said. A gunman got out of the passenger side of the pickup and shot multiple rounds into the victims’ car before getting back into the pickup, which sped off.
Williams was struck by multiple rounds and died at the scene. Farley, also hit, succumbed to his injuries later at St. Francis Medical Center.
Police said Upchurch was uninjured.
The truck was described as a white Chevy or GM utility service truck with ladder racks and built-in side tool boxes.
The Williams family offered an additional $10,000 in hopes of finding their son’s killer. The total reward on offer is now $20,000.
Anyone with information was asked to call sheriff’s homicide Det. Teri Bernstein or Sgt. Chaffey Shepard at (323) 890-5500 or CrimeStoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
Ridley-Thomas recommended re-establishing a $10,000 reward in the case of 20-year-old Waymon Weston, who was shot as he stood outside his home in the 1100 block of West 90th Street in unincorporated Westmont at about 10 p.m. on Oct. 19, 2009.
Ridley-Thomas said investigators believed that the reward offer—which had expired in 2011—could be helpful in solving the crime and “bringing some sense of closure and justice to Waymon Weston’s family and friends.”
Two men walked up to Weston and asked about his gang affiliation before opening fire and then speeding off in a dark-colored sedan, according to sheriff’s deputies.
Anyone with information was asked to call sheriff’s homicide Det. Robert Gray at (323) 890-5500.
Supervisor Janice Hahn recommended extending a $10,000 reward in the case of a 23-year-old who was fatally shot while playing basketball in Norwalk in the summer of 2015.
Hahn said she hoped the reward, set to expire Dec. 18, would encourage witnesses to come forward.
Edwin Morales was shooting hoops at Gerdes Park at 14700 Gridley Road at about 9:30 p.m. on July 11, 2015, when he was shot in the neck. He died at the scene.
Investigators said two gang members were seen randomly shooting at other men in the park before running off to a waiting car. Another man was wounded, but survived.
Morales, who lived in Bellflower, had no gang affiliation, according to detectives.
Hahn asked anyone with information to call sheriff’s Detectives Wayne Holston or Karen Shonka at (323) 890-5500.
