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Grandson Arrested for Stabbing Grandmother to Death

Los Angeles. Los Angeles police officers arrested Joe Calderon, 22, for the stabbing murder of his grandmother in the Mission Hills home where they lived with the grandfather. The grandmother was in her seventies.

“It’s always especially sad and tragic when a child kills the person who raised them,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Mission Detective Division. “And as violent street crime has dropped in recent years, it’s these inner-family murders that tend to stand out more, not that they are happening any more, but they are no longer overshadowed by the street crime.”

Late Saturday night, the grandparents and Calderon apparently argued, which ended when they all went to bed. The nature of the argument was not clear. Early this morning, the grandfather went to work, and the previous argument apparently resumed between grandson and grandmother.

Sometime before 9 AM when police were called, the grandmother called a daughter and told her Calderon was hitting her again. The relative drove to the Rincon Avenue home, near San Fernando High School, to check on her mother. When the woman arrived, she was confronted by Calderon in front of the home with a long metal stick. The woman went around the corner and called police. By now, it was about 9 AM and officers arrived and detained Calderon who had blood on his hands.

Officers entered the home to check on the grandmother and found her in the kitchen, dead of apparent stab wounds. Paramedics confirmed the woman’s condition. Officers noticed a long BBQ fork near the body as well as some other possible edged weapons.

“The fork appeared to have blood on the prongs,” Lt. Vernon said. “But we’ll have to examine it forensically to know for sure.” Police backed out of the home pending the issuance of a search warrant to seize the evidence. “This is routine to protect the suspect’s rights and ensure the evidence we seize is allowed in court,” Lt. Vernon explained.

Joe Calderon was booked for murder and his bail was set at $1 million.

Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Detective Gretchen Schultz, Mission Homicide Unit, at (818) 838-9951. Anonymous tips can be called into Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Online tips may be placed at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

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