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Man Arrested in Murder of Neighbor

Arleta.  Detectives booked Javier Garcia, 22, in the murder of his next-door neighbor, Edgar Barrientos, 37, following an early-morning brawl on Sunday in a quiet Arleta neighborhood at Beachy Avenue and Tonopah Street.

“We found evidence and statements to corroborate Garcia as an aggressor in the initial beat down of his neighbor on Sunday, which ultimately led to the man being stabbed to death,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Mission Detective Division.  “Now we’re trying to identify his two companions who were driving Garcia’s car.”

Garcia’s car was initially described as a Honda Accord, but it turned out to be a silver or gray Infinity.  No license plate has been released, yet.  The two additional suspects are both Hispanic men in their 20s: one tall and with a full beard, and the other shorter.  They were armed with a knife and a gun, though no shots were ever reportedly fired.

All three men are accused of attacking neighbors from two different houses after the neighbors came outside to investigate raucous driving that was disturbing the peace.  “We suspect this loud exhibition may have been intentional on Garcia’s part in order to provoke a confrontation with his neighbors,” Lt. Vernon said.

Garcia was booked for murder and his bail was set at $1 million.  Detectives are continuing to run down leads to identify the two other assailants and find Garcia’s car.

Anyone with information is urged to call Det. Gene Parshall, Mission Homicide Unit, at (818) 838-9954.  Anonymous tips can be called into Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Online tips may be placed at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

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