Los Angeles

Rolling Hills Estates Mall Fatal Stabbing Stemmed From Robbery, Sheriff Says

The motive for the attack on 66-year-old Susan Leeds appears to be robbery

A 39-year-old woman has been arrested in the fatal stabbing of a woman in a parking structure at a Rolling Hills Estates mall that appears to have stemmed from a robbery, sheriff's investigators said Friday.

Cherie Townsend, of Victorville, was taken into custody Thursday in the fatal stabbing of 66-year-old Susan Leeds, of Rancho Palos Verdes, and booked on suspicion of murder. The sheriff said at a Friday news conference that the motive appears to robbery, adding that the victim and suspected attacker did not know each other.

"This was a crime that shocked the community," said Sheriff Jim McDonnell.

Leeds was attacked shortly after 12:20 p.m. May 3 at the Promenade on the Peninsula in the 500 block of Deep Valley Drive. Leeds was found inside her SUV parked inside the Promenade's parking garage with her throat cut and several stab wounds to the chest.

Family members of the victim spoke at Friday's news conference.

"To see such a sweet, great, innocent woman go through such a horrific death is certainly beyond words," said stepson Benjamin Leeds. 

Stepson Fred Leeds said he spoke to his father Friday morning.

"He wanted to convey that he loved her very much and that she's missed, she's greatly missed by our family," he said.

A man had been detained a day after Leeds was killed and he was called a person of interest in the case. He was ultimately ruled out a suspect in the killing, although he was arrested for an unrelated offense.

"Forensic evidence and video surveillance indicated that (the man) was not involved in this crime," McDonnell said. "However, our investigators collected critical evidence at the crime scene that has led us to... Cherie Townsend."

McDonnell said investigators have not ruled out the possibility that one or more other suspects may have been involved in the crime.

"However, we do not have any information that leads us to any other suspects at this time," McDonnell said.

Investigators released a photo of the suspect's car -- a gold 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. It was parked near the Leeds' Mercedes-Benz SUV in the parking structure.

Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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