It is almost seven years to the day that 19 year-old Cesar Rodriguez and 24 year-old Larry Villegas were murdered during a callous drive-by shooting by gang members in the 11800 block of Painter Avenue in unincorporated South Whittier.
Since that day, Sunday, August 28, 2011, a memorial walk to honor the beautiful lives and promising futures of the young men by family, friends, neighbors and members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have taken place on the anniversary of the senseless crime every year. It is in this relentless act of bringing about renewed publicity and asking for the public’s help in identifying and bringing those suspect(s) to justice, that a sense of peace would be brought to the victim’s families.
That hasn’t happened.
But today, joined by both victims’ families, homicide detectives and additional members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn announced a $25,000 reward to anyone who will bring forth information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer(s).
“We are asking for the public’s help, and hopeful that this reward will encourage anyone who may know who did this to come forward. Cesar and Larry’s family deserve answers and the person who did this deserves to be behind bars,” said Supervisor Hahn.
“Cesar and his friend Larry were hanging out. They were not gang members,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lieutenant John Corina. And as they stood, a car, possibly silver or gray compact vehicle, came down the dark street where suddenly the people from inside the car started shooting at the group of individuals standing on the sidewalk, striking and killing Cesar and Larry.
“This is an example of what we believe is gang activity and just a group of gang members driving around looking for rival gang members…,” Lt. Corina said. “…And they see a group of young men hanging out and senselessly just shoot into the crowd hoping to shoot somebody and feel good about themselves.”
At the time of his death, Cesar was an active member of the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station Explorer Program who had recently applied to become a Deputy Sheriff. He is remembered as a good, hardworking person who continually made the right decisions, volunteering his time at community events, looking forward to a promising career with the Sheriff’s Department.
Larry enjoyed his family and his career as a mechanic. He was the doting father of a little boy and cherished the time he would spend with his unborn baby girl, who he never got to hold.
Lupe Rodriguez, Cesar’s mother, spoke directly at the perpetrators through the cameras and said, “I will never stop, there will be a walk every August 28th, until we bring you to justice, because you had no right, absolutely no right to kill anyone, especially not our children.”
“Our commitment to the family of homicide victims is We Never Forget. Whoever you are. Wherever you are. You live with the knowledge that you stole a young life filled with promise. We will find you, we will bring you to justice, and we will bring Cesar and Larry’s family any peace we can,” said Norwalk Station Captain James Tatreau.
“Two young men with so much potential lost their lives under tragic circumstances,” said Sheriff Jim McDonnell. “Cesar Rodriguez was looking forward to continuing his career goals from the Explorer program to becoming a deputy sheriff. I’m certain he would have made a tremendous contribution to our Department. My heart goes out to both families and his fellow Explorers for their loss and grief.”
Anyone with information about the fatal shooting of Cesar Rodriguez and Larry Villegas is encouraged to do the right thing and call Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you may call “L.A. Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 MOBILE APP” on Google play or the App Store, or use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
To view press conference video please click;
https://youtu.be/_YjceszqPls
Written By;
Deputy Juanita Navarro
Sheriff’s Information Bureau – Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
