Full Notification

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Investigators are announcing they have identified the suspect in the murder of La'von Hall and her daughter, Ma'Laysia Martin, in the city of Compton. Donte Lamont Brown, a 41-year-old resident of Compton and estranged boyfriend of La'von, has been identified as the suspect in the double murder. Detectives have exhausted all leads and seek the public's assistance in locating Suspect Brown. Suspect Brown is considered to be armed and dangerous, and his whereabouts are unknown at this time.  Suspect Brown is known to frequent the Compton and Long Beach areas.
 
On April 1, 2025, at approximately 7:05 p.m., deputies from Compton Sheriff's Station responded to the intersection of Caldwell Street and South Central Avenue in the city of Compton regarding a shooting at the location. Upon arrival, deputies located La'von lying on the ground on Caldwell Street just west of the intersection, suffering from gunshot wounds. They located Ma'laysia in the passenger seat of a vehicle on the east side of the intersection, suffering gunshot wounds. Compton Fire Department personnel responded and pronounced both victims deceased.
 
Homicide Investigators learned Suspect Brown drove up alongside the victims in their vehicle while it was stopped at the signal light on Caldwell Street. Suspect Brown fired numerous rounds into the victims' vehicle. La'von exited the driver's side of the vehicle and fell to the ground, mortally wounded by the gunfire. La'von's vehicle, driverless, traveled across Central Avenue and collided with a traffic signal pole on the southeast corner. Ma'laysia was discovered unresponsive in the passenger seat, suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims tragically died at the scene. Suspect Brown fled the scene southbound on South Central Avenue.
 
The case is still being actively investigated and no further details about the case will be shared in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation.
 
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
 
If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the "P3 Tips" Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

Forwarded by:  
Sheriff's Information Bureau 
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
211 West Temple Street
Los Angeles California 90012  
http://www.lasd.org    
213-229-1700  
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FIRST UPDATE: 

Los Angeles County Homicide investigators are continuing their investigation into a shooting death of two female adults in Compton.
 
Deputies from Compton Sheriff's Station responded to Caldwell Street and Central Avenue, in Compton to investigate the shooting of two female adults at the location.  The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at approximately 7:05 p.m.
 
Deputies from Compton Sheriff’s Station responded to Caldewell Street and Central Avenue in the city of Compton regarding a shooting at the location.  Upon arrival, deputies located a female adult in the street on the west of the intersection, suffering from gunshot wounds.  They located a second female adult in a vehicle on the east side of the intersection, suffering from gunshot wounds.  Deputies rendered aid until the arrival of the Compton Fire Department.   Both females were pronounced deceased on scene.

Investigators learned the victims were in their vehicle on Caldwell Street, stopped at the signal light, when a vehicle pulled alongside.  Investigators believe an occupant in the other vehicle open fire on the victims.  The suspect vehicle fled the scene southbound on Central Avenue.  The two victims are a mother, female Black 45-years-old, and daughter, female Black 22-years-old.  No additional information will be released on their identities until the notification of the next of kin.

There’s no additional information available at this time.
 
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
 
If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org 
_______________________________________________________
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE:

DATE:   Tuesday, April 1, 2025   

REPORTED AT: 7:13PM

LOCATION: West Caldwell St./South Central Ave., Compton, 90220

VICTIM(S): Two Female Black Adults

SUSPECT: Unknown

UNIT:  Homicide Bureau – Lieutenant Steven De Jong

NARRATIVE:  
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide detectives are responding to West Caldwell St./South Central Ave., in the city of Compton regarding a shooting death investigation. The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at approximately 7:13 PM.

Both victims were pronounced deceased at the scene.
 
There is no additional information available at this time. 
 
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
 
Forwarded by:  
Sheriff's Information Bureau 
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
211 West Temple Street
Los Angeles California 90012  
http://www.lasd.org    
213-229-1700  
   
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Robert Luna, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department