Los Angeles: On Monday, January 19, 2004, at about 12:30 p.m., LAPD Patrol Officers responded to a radio call of a woman screaming for help in the vicinity of Sherman Way and Costello Avenue, in the Van Nuys area. The victim told officers that she had been kidnapped and assaulted by a male White, who was driving a sports utility vehicle (SUV). The victim said that the suspect drove to a local residence, where he picked up the body of a dead female and put it in the back of the SUV. The suspect then drove the victim to an apartment, she was eventually able to escape when the suspect left her alone.

The responding officers located the SUV to the rear of the apartment building and verified that a female decedent was in the back of the vehicle.

Detectives are attempting to locate Paul Alan Ott in order to interview him regarding this incident. Mr. Ott is a resident of Van Nuys, but is also known to frequent the Hollywood area and has ties with the movie and television industry. Mr. Ott is described as a 35 year-old male White, with hazel eyes. He is 5’ 9" tall, 160 to 175 lbs., with dark short-cropped hair and has numerous tattoos on his upper body.

A photo of Paul Alan Ott will be available at the press conference.

Anyone with information regarding this case is requested to contact Robbery-Homicide Division Detectives, at 213-485-2129.

This news release was prepared by Public Information Officer Lucy Diaz, Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.