LAPD Releases Names Of West Hills Couple In Last Weeks Murder/Suicide
Sent out this morning via Nixle:
Advisory Message has been issued by the LAPD – Topanga.
Tuesday May 25, 2010 5:58 AM PDT
UPDATE Elderly Couple Found Dead-Identities Released
***UPDATE***
The identities of the two people involved in this incident have been identified as 77-year-old Anne Ward and her husband 77-year-old James Ward of West Hills.
An elderly couple found dead in their West Hills home in an apparent murder-suicide were identified as Anne and James Ward, both 77, the coroner’s office announced today.
The two were found inside their home in the 7200 block of Cirrus Way on Thursday morning with single gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
There were no signs of a struggle and there did not seem to be any problems between the two, police said.
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Man And Woman Found Dead In West Hills In Apparent Murder Suicide
LAPD writes via Nixle:
Man and woman found dead in West Hills around 9am, apparent murder/suicide, 7200 blk of Cirrus Way. Police activity in area.
More as info comes my way.
Update: Names released on May 25, 2010.
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Canoga Park Man Bludgeons Elderly Mother & Uncle To Death With Hammer
You read the title correctly. Yikes. When I first read about this I thought that due to the victims’ advanced age, it may be some sort of a mercy killing type situation. Then when I read the part about the hammer I thought “not so much.”
A 63-year-old man was arrested Friday on suspicion of bludgeoning to death his elderly mother and uncle, authorities said.
Police were called to the 7000 block of Eton Avenue in Canoga Park just after 9 a.m. Friday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
When officers arrived, they were met by Arthur Reyes Morales, who immediately surrendered.
Inside they found the bodies of 87-year-old Rita Morales and 85-year-old Manual Reyes; both appeared to have beaten to death with a hammer. The suspect was the primary caregiver for the elderly pair, police said.
Reyes Morales was arrested and booked at the Van Nuys Jail on two counts of murder. He is being held on $2-million bail.
LAPD Topanga writes via Nixle:
63-year-old Suspect Arrested for Killing Mother and Uncle
Los Angeles: On Friday, April 30, 2010, at around 9:05 a.m., officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Topanga Area responded to a “Homicide suspect there now” radio call in the 7000 block of Eton Avenue in Canoga Park. The initial report led officers to believe that a man had killed his mother and father.
When the officers arrived, they were met by 63-year-old Arthur Reyes Moralesa, a resident of Canoga Park who immediately surrendered to the officers. The officers continued their investigation and found 85-year-old Manual Reyes, and 87-year-old Rita Morales, dead inside the home.
It appeared that their fatal injuries were caused by blunt force trauma.
The suspect had been the primary care giver for both of the decedents, who have now been confirmed as the suspect’s mother and uncle. The motive for this crime is still unknown.
Arthur Reyes Moralesa was arrested and booked at Van Nuys Jail for two counts of murder and is being held on a $2,000,000 bail.
Los Angeles Police Department Homicide Detectives assigned to Topanga Area are handling the investigation. For additional information, please call Topanga Area Homicide Detectives Detectives Pogue and Williams at (818) 756-3363.
The Daily News has a longer article with more details about the perpetrator and victims.
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LAPD Seeks Information In Today’s Canoga Park Murder
Information on homicide, 22000 blk of Cantlay Street, sought by LAPD.
On February 25, 2010, at approximately 0830 hours, Los Angeles Police Department uniformed patrol officers assigned to Topanga Area responded to an “Assault with a Deadly Weapon” radio call at the 22000 block of Cantlay Street in the City of Canoga Park.
Upon officers arrival, they observed a male Hispanic unconscious, lying outside in the residence driveway. Victim, identified as 46 year old Juan Rivera of the San Fernando Valley sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Los Angeles City Fire Department Paramedics responded to the scene and attempted emergency medical treatment with negative results. Victim Juan Rivera succumbed to his injuries and died at scene.
Los Angeles Police Department Homicide Detectives assigned to Topanga Area are following-up on all potential leads and are seeking the publics assistance.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Topanga Area Homicide Detectives at (818) 756-3363 during business hours, or after hours and on weekends at (818) 756-4800.
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Two Arrests Made In Michael Conoscenti Murder Case, More To Come?
In a long response to the fact that I re-posted Courtney Conoscenti’s praise of the LAPD, either her or a friend of hers (probably both) writes (abridged version):
Thank you Mr. Hills of Woodland for ruining everything because after I wrote the article I wrote I realized I probably shouldnt have written what I wrote because its probably not supposed to go public yet because if that were the case It would be public RIGHT? You agree with me Girard correct? So if you feel you need to go and call the detectives to see if “this is in fact true” then you go ahead and ruin things but if you really think the police are going to give you any information on Damiens murder investigation at all or case at all your Delusional.You calling to find out info. is just going to cause problems for myself there going to stop giving me information because I made a mistake and opened my mouth too soon and idiouts like YOU have to go and cause havoc by bugging the detectives when there not going to give you any information because your nobody But im sure you already know there not going to update you.So if the detectives stop informing me because you made a phone call You can best bet im going to make a phone call or two. Im asking you to leave well enough alone take my word for it
Regardless, once arrests have been made in a case, at least that part is public record. So I contacted detective Ammon Williams today to ask about the status of the case. He writes:
We have made two arrests in the Conoscenti case with and are looking at additional suspects in the case. Because we have outstanding suspects and our investigation is still pending I can not release any additional information at this time.Detective Williams
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Arrests Made In Michael Conoscenti Murder Case? So Claims Girlfriend In Internet Post
In an Internet posting dated January 7th praising the LAPD detectives for their work on the case, Courtney Conoscenti (an alias used by slain porn star Damien Michaels’ girlfriend) claims three people have been arrested in connection with the case.
From Topix.com (caution: contains excessive profanity and eschews all rules of grammar):
In the case of Damien Micheals my heart,my soul my everything honey I love you so very much and I do it for YOU.EVERYTHING!for you!
Thank you god But mostly thanks to the Topanga Homicide division Homicide detective Dave P. I owe it all to you and your team for your ,through,quck job on almost closeing the case in which My beautiful Damien was brutally murdered,brutally stabbed to death.Thank you for treating this case his case the same way you would treat a pillar example of the commuitys murder. The same way you would treat a business sect ceos case. Thank you for not prejudicing and leaving any qualms,personal feelings out that would possibly hinder yo from doing a job well done above and beyond call. I still cant sleep well but a weight has been lifted off my sholders. Not much weight but enough weight has been lifted off my sholders
THREE PERPETRATORS are behind bars. BEHIND BARS!!!!”FINALLY”!! With the hopes of more good news to come! Being more animals locked in cages where they belonglocked in there own prison of hell As of this time I cannot give details. My apologes.But as soon as the police are done doing there jobs and its safe to I will..This sensless sad crimecould have been ANYONE it could have been you, it should have been ME ALL IM ALLOWED to say and will say so as not to mess anything thats in the works up is 3 perpetrators,murderers that coldheartedly ,greedily,pointlessly,killed my beautiful man the reason is known but FUCKEN SENSLESS!!It makes no sense to take a life for the reasons they did which i am not as of yet allocated to say.. TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN MAKEING THIS HAPPEN all involved in serving Damien and his loved ones THANK YOU so much THANK YOU for doing your jobs to your upmost ability Above and beyond call No words can express my thanks When are elections and god bless you
I’ll try tomorrow to confirm with the detectives if arrests have been made.
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Did Michael Conoscenti Once Help A Murderer Dispose Of A Body?
This week I have taken a few opportunities to ask people who knew murder victim Michael Conoscenti A/K/A Damien Michaels about the man, his life, and his character. Some interesting stories have come my way, and this one comes from not one but two reliable sources. Now, I leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions about Mr. Conoscenti and his character, based on some of these assertions.
You see, Damien Michaels was a dreamer, at times a lovable loser, and above all else, a hustler. Somewhere on his quest to be more than a “nickel and dime” player in this life Michaels met a Los Angeles attorney named David Mahler. Mahler lived in the Hollywood Hills and liked to live the high life. Imagine him as the Sean Penn character in Carlito’s way except “much more violent.” Violence often fueled by a love for cocaine.
The only thing that David Mahler loved more than cocaine was prostitutes. And, that’s where Damien Michaels came into the picture. But we’ll come back to that later.
In June 2007 David Mahler was booked for the murder of a woman who was reportedly his girlfriend Kristin “Chrissie” Franya Baldwin. There is a good article about the early stages of this murder investigation here. A blurb:
Neighbors told reporters that Mahler is a lawyer who throws lots of loud parties at the multi-level residence. One of those parties occurred about a week ago, and neighbors heard arguing between a man and a woman, according to broadcast reports.
Hollywood police detectives were tipped off by a caller on Friday, Maiberger said.
Police searched the area around the home, but did not find anyone.
The reality however, was that this woman – “Chrissie” – was hardly Mahler’s girlfriend. She was a girl who was supplied to Mahler by Michael’s in exchange for money or other forms of compensation, such as a Mercedes Benz that Conoscenti was allowed to drive in exchange for providing Mahler with access to porn stars and prostitutes. Perhaps Mahler believed that Chrissie was his girlfriend, and perhaps he was in love with her. After all, lonely, rich middle aged men often fall in love with prostitutes. Especially the good ones.
Apparently as the story goes, sometime went horribly wrong a Mahler shot Chrissie to death in a coke fueled rage. Now born loser Damien finds himself in an awkward situation. One of his ’stable’ of prostitutes has been murdered by one of his favorite Johns. A man that provides him with food, lodging, and a nice car to drive. Is this the kind of situation a ‘good person’ finds themself in?
About three weeks after the murder, the girl’s body was found in a roadside ditch in Barstow:
LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2007 — The remains of a woman allegedly killed last month by her attorney boyfriend in his Hollywood Hills home were found 120 miles away in a roadside ditch in the desert east of Barstow, officials said Monday.
Her body had been missing until June 16, when two men who stopped near the interchange of Interstates 15 and 40 to help a stranded motorist discovered the remains in a ditch on the road, said Officer Karen Smith.
The next day, Los Angeles detectives were notified by the San Bernardino County coroner’s office, who then handed the remains over to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office for identification.
So here’s where the story gets a little dodgy. Michaels admitted to my source that he was intimately familiar with where the body was dumped, however would not say or admit directly that he had been involved in transporting it there – apparently wrapped in a carpet. Michaels claimed that a third man accompanied Mahler to the dump site to rid themselves of the prostitute’s corpse. Remember, Michaels to my knowledge never admitted having been involved in dumping the body. However, my other source tells me that after the incident the rumor amongst the circle of people that knew Damien was “that he had helped David dispose of the body.” Just a rumor…
Michaels was ultimately questioned by the police and is known to have been in fear of being charged in the incident, but the DA never charged him as an accessory to the crime. In this case, Mahler was the big fish and he was finally convicted in September of the murder. The LA District Attorney’s site released this statement about the conviction:
LOS ANGELES – A 45-year-old attorney charged with fatally shooting his girlfriend, whose body was later found in the desert, was found guilty today of second-degree murder and assault with a firearm on a second victim.
The jury of seven men and five women deliberated just one day before finding David Mahler guilty of the May 27, 2007 murder of 38-year-old Kristin Baldwin, known as “Chrissie.” The jury also convicted him of assault with a firearm on Donald Van Develde, who was his roommate at the time, and found true the special allegation of personal use of a handgun.
Mahler refused to leave his cell and was not present when the verdict was read.
Deputy District Attorney Bobby Grace with the Major Crimes Division said Mahler and the Los Angeles woman were dating but she was not living at Mahler’s Cole Crest Drive residence in the Hollywood Hills.
Witnesses testified the two were arguing when Mahler shot and killed her. He disposed of the body and tried to cleanup the crime scene. Police were not notified of the shooting until five days later.
And, on October 9th, just 18 days before Damien Michael’s murder, Mahler was finally sentenced to a lengthy prison term:
LOS ANGELES – A civil attorney convicted of the second-degree murder of a woman whose body was dumped in the desert and also shooting at a second victim was sentenced today to 43 years to life in prison.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Wesley also ordered David Mahler, 45, to pay $10,000 in restitution, said Deputy District Attorney Bobby Grace with the Major Crimes Division.
I have gone through the trouble of posting this story to shed some light on the character of Mr. Consoscenti. I leave it to you to be the judge. Maybe we’ve all had to occasionally help dispose of the body of a woman that we lured into a life of drugs and prostitution. I guess it could happen to anyone, right? And what did the girl’s family have to say about Mahler’s sentencing? From the LA Independent:
“This is my sister, Kristin,” the woman’s older sister, Robin Henson, told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David S. Wesley, indicating an urn containing the victim’s ashes.
“My family’s life has been completely turned around to a point of pain and suffering because my sister is gone,” Henson said. “A person that can do this needs to go to prison for a very long time … I love my sister and I miss her and I want her back.”
So, who killed Damien Michaels? Seems like plenty of people had reasons.
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