Los Angeles: Between the late morning and early evening hours of June 29, 2004, a residential burglary occurred within the Granada Hills community bordered by Balboa Boulevard and Sesnon Avenue. After forcing entry, the suspect(s) took various items of jewelry, firearms and the cremated remains of the former resident, a recently deceased detective of the Los Angeles Police Department. The detective’s cremated remains were contained inside a specially designed box, which was then placed inside a blue velvet bag at the time of the theft. Later the same day, at approximately 5:00 p.m., the victim's stolen credit card was presented by an unidentified female Hispanic or Black; at a store within the Northridge Fashion Center. Video surveillance cameras inside the store captured a photograph of this person as she awaited approval of her purchase. When she was asked to provide additional identification in support of the stolen credit card, she refused and immediately left the store and escaped.

*UPDATE*

After a news conference was held on July 2, 2004, to solicit the public’s assistance in identifying those responsible, Deanna Landsman, an African-American female, 33 years old, was arrested and charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with two felony counts of Receiving Stolen Property, after she attempted to use the victim’s stolen credit cards within hours of the original crime.

Based upon the exemplary investigative work of Devonshire Burglary Detectives and the Criminal Investigation Unit, two additional suspects were identified and subsequently arrested on July 29, 2004, for their involvement in the burglary. These arrestees, Joshua Portillo, a Hispanic male, 26 years old, and Michael Fernandez, a White male, 31 years old, were arrested following a short vehicular pursuit and booked on charges of residential burglary at the Devonshire Community Police Station. Several items of stolen property, which include three handguns and the deceased detective’s remains, were subsequently recovered following an exhaustive follow-up investigation that evening. The detective’s remains were immediately returned to a very appreciative victim and other family members.

This investigation and the suspects’ involvement in other crimes still remains under investigation with the results scheduled to be presented to the officer of the District Attorney on August 2, 2004.

This news release was prepared by Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.