Woman Murdered in Vehicle Stopped at a Traffic Signal

Los Angeles: On April 10, 2008, at 12:15 a.m., Newton Area patrol officers responded to a radio call in the area of Slauson Avenue and the 110 Freeway. Upon arrival, they discovered 19-year-old Samantha Padilla seated in her vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds.

Apparently, Padilla, who was employed by a company at Los Angeles International Airport, had stopped for a traffic light when someone in a 1990-91 light-brown over dark-brown Ford Bronco pulled up beside her. The occupant then fired several shots into her vehicle, striking her several times. The motive for the shooting has not yet been determined, and reports that Padilla was driving a City of Los Angeles vehicle are false.

Padilla was transported to California Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m.

Newton Area homicide detectives are handling the investigation. Anyone with information about the incident may contact the detectives at 323-846-5363. After-hours and weekend calls may be directed to a 24-hour hotline at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).